A New Threat to Spira
by Neon-Ronin
Summary: 6 months post-FFX-2(Perfect ending). The prisoner of the Thunder Plains, Malar the Immortal, has risen with revenge in his heart. Repost, with edits. COMPLETE! Please Read
1. Storm Clouds

[A/N: This is my first attempt at fan fiction after a very long hiatus, and is also my first game-based fanfic. Helpful criticism is appreciated. The story takes place 6 months after the events in FFX-2(perfect ending), so if you haven't played the game to completion be aware of a plot spoiler bonanza. I do not own Square Enix or any of their creations; with the exception of a character or two of my own design I don't own anything herein. The story may take a little time to get moving, so please bear with me. Enjoy!]  
  
Chapter 1: Storm clouds  
  
Thunder rolled. Rain descended from the heavens at a constant slow, dreary pace. What little light managed to seep through the grayness above only served to accentuate the massive monoliths dotting the landscape. Lightning flashed from the clouds to the tips of the towers in an irregular pattern, allowing passersby to glimpse the ornate patterns carved in the towers' sides, but only for a brief moment before they were plunged back into shadow. In the distance, a lone wandering Rhyos howled at no one in particular, listening as its own fiendish shriek echoed throughout the vast expanse that was the Thunder Plains.  
  
For the longest time, the Plains had been a source of speculation and wonderment. In all of Spira, there was no other place quite like it. Of course, many people would simply brush it off and point to other great landmarks as being far more bizarre and mysterious. The ruins of long-dead Zanarkand, many would point out, were far stranger, or the Forests of Macalania more prone to wonder and excitement. Such speculation was, if nothing else, accurate, but there was one thing that no one considered. The weather of the Thunder Plains never- not even once in recorded history- ever changed. Why no one bothered to think about this, it's hard to tell. Every other major point of interest had varying climates- rain, shine, high winds, snow in the wintertime(especially in the Northern regions like Gagazet and Bevelle). Not so with the Thunder Plains. Without exception, the weather in that area was perpetual and almost unchanging.  
  
Very few people traversed the Plains these days; the months were getting longer and colder. More and more people stayed in the South, in Luca, rather than go up to see the sights of Bevelle. Blitzball season had drawn to a close, and people seemed to be getting ready for winter's eventual arrival. The few remaining workers at the Travel Agency had very little to do except watch the rain and the occasional lick of lightning. Despite the meteorological anomaly of it all, once they had gotten used to it, the Agency workers were bored with the regularity of the rain. Some were even thinking of closing down and heading to Kilika for the winter.  
  
That's when everything changed.  
  
Without warning, the rain began to fall with increasing fervor. What had been a steady drizzle quickly turned into a downpour. Lightning began to flash across the sky at a heightened rate, striking the towers harder than they had been hit in a long time. The clouds darkened, turning a malevolent shade of black as the lightning arced from cloud to tower faster still. The Agency workers, shaken out of their routine by the sudden intensified storms, crowded around the windows and wondered what in the Farplane was going on outside. Their curiosity gradually gave way to fear as the storms kicked it up another notch. Thunder cracked so loud and so near to the Agency that a window broke, sending curtains and glass hurtling across the room as rain poured in like water out of a bucket. Outside, the clouds began to move as rain pounded the ground, churning the lakes and rivers into a boiling frenzy and battering the old roadways into a sea of mud. Fiendish shrieks came out of the darkness as Drakes and Armets scuttled to the surface, flooded out of their hiding places- or perhaps drawn to the maelstrom raging across the plains. Lightning was cracking faster than thought humanly possible. With a sickening crack, one of the mighty lightning towers succumbed to the forces battering it and crumbled to the ground below. The Agency personnel, now well and truly panicked, were packing their belongings and desperately seeking a way out of the plains, but once outside there was no place for them to run. Fiends, flood and lightning were cornering them on all sides.  
  
And deep beneath the Thunder Plains, a single presence was laughing quietly to itself.  
  
_Just a little longer. I can feel it; the barrier has finally weakened. The ties bound to Macalania are almost gone. Still..... I never would have thought either border was capable of losing strength. Then again, they were probably just too closely tied to Order._ The mind laughed again. _Fools!!! They should have known that their prison could not last forever. Nothing lasts forever._ A pause.  
  
_Except for me, of course. And once I am free, I had best see to it that the Four are not still around. They were enough of a nuisance before, I don't want to have to deal with them again. And if they ARE still in Spira......_  
  
The typhoon above seemed ready to crack the heavens wide open; the sky was now a demonic shade of purple.  
  
_If the Four are still present, I had best see to it they are never released. The fiends should be sufficient to seek them. Almost there....... NOW!!_  
  
The sky clenched. Clouds roiled in unison, arcing lightning from one end of the Plains to the other. A white glow emerged just over the shelter at the North end of the plains, followed by a massive bolt of lightning that struck the shelter with deafening force, a bolt so strong that the entire shelter was cleft in twain and huge chunks of roof and support beams thrown far and wide. Fiends all across the Plains shrieked in pain as the thunderclap washed over them like a tidal wave.  
  
Then, all was silent.  
  
Rain continued to fall, but the deluge seemed to be slowing. Lightning still arced across the sky, but the intensity was not quite as fierce.  
  
In the middle of the ruins of the ancient rain shelter, a figure stood silent and attentive. It was a man, clad in the ragged remnants of a robe that clung to one shoulder and exposed his well-muscled chest and arms. The wind whipped his black hair across his face as he looked across the shattered landscape with crimson eyes. A smirk slowly worked its way to the corners of his mouth.  
  
A lone Gigas crept around the ruins of the shelter and caught a glimpse of the man. Easy pickings, it thought to itself; he's all covered in mud and has no weapon. The great apelike fiend approached the man and prepared to strike when suddenly the man whipped around and looked it right in the eye. The Gigas stumbled..... and then lowered its arms as it looked upon the man with a newfound reverence. Awkwardly, it crouched down so it could look the stranger face to face. The man smiled a toothy grin.  
  
"Very good. You learn well, my friend," he said. "Tell the others...... Malar has returned."  
  
Thunder echoed across the flooded wastes.  
  
[A/N: I decided to repost some of the chapters to correct some spelling errors and redo the general look. Some of my Author notes might remain the same, others might be altered a bit here and there.] 


	2. A Long Expected Union

[A/N: I will admit, the first chapter was a little short, but intentionally so. As usual, I don't own FFX-2 or the characters therein, I'm just borrowing them. Now, on with the show!]  
  
Chapter 2: A Long-Expected Union  
  
The sun rose high over Besaid Island, sending myriad sparkles dancing across the surface of the water. Being Southernmost of the settled regions of Spira, with the possible exception of Bikanel, the villagers hardly if ever noticed the transition from summer to winter. Even if there was a noticeable change, though, it would have gone ignored by most of the populace this day. The entire town was abuzz with excitement.  
  
In the village square, four tall poles had been erected, two at the gates and two just outside the ancient temple. From the tops of these poles, white and blue streamers fluttered in the breeze and colorful braids wound their way to each pole's base. Along the square, numerous benches had been set up in two rows, forming an aisle of sorts which terminated at the stairs to the temple. At the top of the stairs, a simple podium had been erected, carefully decorated with the revised holy symbols of New Yevon. Villagers were milling about, finding seats or just standing off on the sidelines and chatting amongst themselves. Just about everybody in Besaid was there, and for a good reason.

* * *

"Hey, you don't stop pacin' around, you're gonna wear a hole right through the rug, ya?"  
  
Tidus looked up and stopped walking back and forth. He scratched absentmindedly at the white robes he had donned just a short while ago. They were bulkier than what he was used to wearing and kind of itchy, but they were a part of what would happen today and that made up for the discomfort and then some. Wakka sat across from him on his and Lulu's bed, a purple sleeved tunic over his normal clothes and an amused grin on his face.  
  
"Sorry Wakka, I wasn't really paying attention," Tidus said as he sat down heavily in a chair across from his Blitzer friend.  
  
"I'll say you weren't; you looked like you were walkin' in your sleep for a moment there." Wakka leaned back against the walls of his hut with his hands behind his head. "Lemme guess. You're nervous, ya?"  
  
"I'm not really sure nervous is the right word," Tidus replied. "More like anxious, confused, and nervous all rolled into one." He chuckled and a smile crept across his face.  
  
"Well, given what's goin' on today, that's no surprise, you know." Wakka laughed a bit himself, then his face took on a more serious note. "You're not havin' no second thoughts, are ya?"  
  
"No, of course not," Tidus replied, straightening up in the chair a bit. "This is what I.... No, what we want more than anything else. It's just......" A doubtful look crossed his face. "I'm just afraid that..... I know this sounds stupid coming from someone who helped defeat Sin, but......"  
  
"Geez, just go ahead and spit it out already, ya?!?"  
  
Tidus sighed. "I'm afraid of accidentally doing something that might hurt her again. I promised her over two years ago we would always be together, and then when we defeated Sin.... and it looked like I was going away for good....." He wrung his hands together as the memories of that day came back. "I never wanted to break Yuna's heart like that, and I never want to again. I just wish I knew what to expect... or what to do if something does happen."  
  
Wakka was silent for a moment, then he got up and put a hand on Tidus' shoulder. "Sounds like you got a full-blown case of sensitivity, ya? An' between you and me, it's not that unusual. I'll bet you ten thousand gil there isn't a man alive who doesn't feel that way on a day like this."  
  
Tidus looked up. "You think so?"  
  
"Hell, I know so. I felt almost the exact same way when Lu an' me got hitched. I was scared outta my mind that I wasn't gonna be a good husband, you know? I kep' checkin' myself and generally drove myself up a wall, ya?" Wakka grinned as he stood up and walked around the hut. "Then it hit me. I was worryin' over nothing. You can't predict what's gonna happen years an' years down the line, an' worryin' about it doesn't do nothing but give you an ulcer, ya? And what's more, it turns you into a whole different person- a worry-wart person- and that's nothing but trouble. Not just for you, but for her as well."  
  
Tidus smiled some, but only so much. "Still....."  
  
"Look, the fact that you're worryin' about this is only natural. If you weren't worried about it, that'd be a big danger sign, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, but still...... two whole years is a lot of lost time to make up for. I just hope I can do it."  
  
Wakka smiled. "I'd say, judging by the look on her face when you came back six months ago, that you were already halfway there. Plus the last few months of exploring together sure seemed to do you both a world of good."  
  
Tidus looked up and this time his smile was genuine. It had been a wonderful time ever since his return, and once the initial surprise had died down, it was beyond anything he had hoped for. Yuna had certainly changed over those two years, but it was all for the better. All the fear and uncertainty in her eyes was gone, and she smiled so much more than in the days of the Pilgrimage. He still remembered walking through the Celsius for the first time, with Rikku bouncing all over the place showing off the Gullwings' pride and joy. The fact that shortly after his return he was able to join the Gullwings and become a sphere hunter himself, that was an unexpected bonus. Brother had been obstinate at first, but eventually gave in under pressure from both Yuna and Rikku. _I have to admit, learning how to use a Garment Grid was a little weird at first, but they certainly are versatile devices, _he thought. And all the while, the two of them had reminisced, caught up, and grew to love each other even more.  
  
"Thanks, Wakka. I needed that little reminder." He stood up, smoothing out the white robes and tried to get his hair to stay down.  
  
"Hey, that's what friends are for, ya?" Wakka replied with a big grin. "Now let's get out there before they get started without you."

* * *

"I hope we can get started soon; this dress is really starting to grate on my nerves," Paine groused as she paced around the hut in a simple pale green satin dress with frills across the bodice.  
  
"Oh, c'mon Paine! Why you gotta be such a big spoilsport? I think that dress looks really cute on you!" Rikku was prancing around the same hut in a similar green dress which, unfortunately, was a little too long and thus she was constantly tripping over her own hem.  
  
"I don't want to look cute."  
  
"Geez, can't you be just a little cheery? Today's the big day!"  
  
"I know, you've told me seventeen times already," the ruby-eyed warrior sighed. "Look, it's not that I'm not happy for Yuna, because I am. I just wish they could've picked a different color dress."  
  
"But the green coordinates with your eyes sooooo well!" Rikku protested.  
  
"Put a sock in it, will you? For crying out loud, the way you're jumping around today you'd think you were the one who was getting married."  
  
Rikku stopped bouncing around for a moment and put her hands on her hips in mock-annoyance. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about shielding myself from everyone. I'm happy for Yunie, and I'm not embarrassed to show it either- unlike someone I might mention."  
  
Paine felt her shoulders tense up at those words, and she looked across the room absently. _Shielding myself from everyone? That's not true; I opened up to the two of you about the Crimson Squad...._ She crossed her arms and looked out the doorway of the hut. _But then again, it did take a long time before I opened up......  
_  
"Um, Paine?" Rikku edged up to her, not sure if she was being ignored or if Paine thinking about something.  
  
"Rikku........ I'm sorry."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You're right. I guess I have been a little harsh, and I didn't mean it to be taken the wrong way. It's just........ There's something about a wedding that doesn't sit well with me." Paine sighed and let her arms fall to her side. "Not just the dress, which I still don't like..... It just reminds me that I might never get the chance myself."  
  
"Are you serious?" Rikku gasped. "I didn't know you felt that way about......."  
  
"Well, what girl doesn't want to get married someday? My problem is, aside from what you already pointed out about me shutting myself away from others, I don't know if there is anyone out there meant for me." Paine put a hand against the doorway as if to steady herself.  
  
"Don't say that, Paine. I'm sure there's someone out there for you; you just gotta take a chance."  
  
"Easier said than done," quipped the warrior.  
  
"Welllllll...... what about Baralai?"  
  
"I BEG your pardon?"  
  
"Come on, you don't think I remember you chasing after him in Bevelle all those months ago, when he and the others had that face-off in the underground? Or the way you acted around him and the others afterward?" Rikku sidled up to the doorway right next to Paine. "I'm not saying I'm right, but I caught enough hints to make a decent guess. So.... If you do like him, why not find out if he likes you back? You can ask him right after the ceremony!"  
  
"Rikku, you know he has to get back to Bevelle once this is over."  
  
"Just ask him if you two could talk or something. I'm not trying to joke around, I just want to be helpful!"  
  
An odd smirk suddenly crossed Paine's face. "I'll tell you what. I'll talk to Baralai if- and only if- you agree to talk to Gippal."  
  
That caused Rikku's eyes to bug out. "Wha... wha.... WHAAAAT????"  
  
Paine didn't reply, but gave Rikku a knowing look.  
  
"Oh, gimme a break! Like I really have a 'thing' for that spiky- headed goofball! Where'd you get a crazy idea like that??"  
  
"When I saw you two together for the first time at Djose. Not saying I'm right, but I caught enough hints to make a decent guess," Paine replied with a wink. Just then there was a knock on the hut from outside. "Come on, Rikku, it's time." With that, Paine swirled elegantly and stepped outside.  
  
"Oooohhhhhh....... Cdibet Paine, tuach'd ryja yho etay fryd cra'c dymgehk ypuid...." Rikku muttered angrily under her breath as she stomped out of the hut, tripped on her hem and promptly fell on her face.  
  
[Translation: Stupid Paine, doesn't have any idea what she's talking about....]

* * *

"Well, Lulu? How do I look?"  
  
"You look wonderful. And nervous as hell, I might add," the older woman added with a smile.  
  
Yuna blushed slightly and turned to look in the mirror once again. The dress she wore was very similar in design to her summoner's clothes, but all fashioned in white silk with delicate light blue brocades. The skirt was a little longer in the back, and in place of the long forearm wraps, she wore a pair of elbow-length white gloves. She had not bothered to put her hair up, leaving it the way it normally was, but for this occasion the long braid down her back had been tied with white fabric rather than the pink she normally wore. A fine veil over her head and a bouquet of white lilies completed the ensemble.  
  
"I still can't believe this is really happening," she said at length. "It's like a dream..... One I never want to wake up from."  
  
Lulu smiled, cradling a sleeping Vidina in her arms as she did so. "You know, there are a lot of people who are going to be sorry they missed this."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Well, you are practically the most famous person in all of Spira. When word gets out that the two of you pulled this off under everyone's noses, it might get a little hectic for you."  
  
"That's precisely why we didn't make a big deal out of it," Yuna said, walking around the hut they were in. "I've spent so much time out in the public eye that it was making me uneasy. If we'd announced this publicly, it would've turned into a giant circus which neither of us really wants. And if it turns hectic later on, we'll worry about it then. All I want right now is a little time to relax with family and friends......." She looked up at Lulu, a bright smile on her face. "And with the man I love."  
  
Lulu nodded. "Just call it sisterly concern if you want. I only want what's best for you both."  
  
"Thanks, Lulu. That means a lot to me." Yuna paused and looked back in the mirror again.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"No," Yuna replied, turning back towards Lulu with a big smile on her face. "I was just thinking...... this time, it really is the real thing. It feels right."  
  
Lulu smiled a bit and nodded, her mind turning back to the last time Yuna had been in this position. _That was something you should never have had to go through. Agreeing to a sham union with Seymour when there were no true feelings shared, all for the purpose of exposing who he truly was. That was a day I'll never forget..... Watching you go through the motions like a puppet, it just about made my heart break, though I couldn't show it. But now..... Now you have a chance to truly be happy._  
  
A knock from the outside was heard. Lulu shook herself out of her reverie and straightened out the deep blue gown she wore in place of her black mage's dress. "Yuna, it's time."  
  
Yuna took a deep breath and straightened the veil over her face. "I'm ready."

* * *

Baralai stood at the podium in his robes of office and nodded as Tidus and Wakka took their places to his direct left. To his right stood Rikku, still dusting herself off and trying to look dignified at the same time. Next to her was Paine, looking slightly uncomfortable. Baralai bit back the urge to smile at her. _We can talk once we've finished here. Maybe at least say hello; we haven't seen each other since the Vegnagun incident. I hope she's doing all right....._ He shook his head and returned to the matter at hand. When he had been invited to perform the ceremony, he had been very flattered, and understood completely when told it was to be a private affair. The trick was getting him to Besaid without arousing suspicion; a member of the Council of Spira going on a trip was hard not to notice. Saying he was coming to inspect the ancient temple was plausible enough.  
  
Everything seemed to be in place, and he gave a nod to the side. An elegant melody began to play, supplied by Bayra, the harpist of Macalania. Tidus took a deep breath and looked down to the far end of the aisle formed by the benches.  
  
There she was, a goddess in white. There was little more that Tidus could do except watch in awe as Yuna walked down the aisle, escorted by Lulu. They reached the stairs of the temple, Lulu stepping to one side to join Rikku and Paine. Tidus stepped forward, and he and Yuna joined hands in front of the podium.  
  
"You look so handsome," Yuna whispered, smiling up at her love.  
  
"You're more beautiful than ever," Tidus whispered back, with an identical smile on his face.  
  
They were so caught up in each other's eyes they barely heard Baralai commence the blessings and begin the ceremony. It seemed like only yesterday they had just met, in the inner chambers of the temple just before them. They had shared laughter and pain on the road to Zanarkand, comforted each other in times of need, and they both knew the anguish of separation all too well. Yet they were here now, together, and they knew they would never be apart again.  
  
Wakka wiped his eyes absently as they exchanged vows. Paine seemed to forget the discomfort her bridesmaid's dress provoked. Rikku sniffled as happy tears started to well up in her eyes. Even Brother, sitting in the back row of benches, gave a small sign that he, too, was happy- he had finally accepted that Yuna cared for him only as a friend, and that was good enough for him. It would have been perfect, had he not expressed his happiness by retrieving a handkerchief and loudly blowing his nose.  
  
A few giggles emerged from the crowd plus one dirty look from Cid, followed by Buddy elbowing Brother in the ribs. "Keep it down, moron," he whispered.  
  
"E lyh'd ramb ed; fattehkc ymfyoc kad du sa mega drec....." Brother whispered back, wiping his eyes.  
  
[Translation: I can't help it; weddings always get to me like this.....]  
  
The vows complete, Baralai took both of their hands and placed them together. Wrapping a gold embroidered cloth around their joined hands, he proclaimed, "What the two of you have wrought, let no man or beast put asunder. Let those around you and the spirits that watch over all rejoice in this blessed union." Stepping back, he nodded to Tidus. "You may kiss the bride."  
  
Gingerly, Tidus raised Yuna's veil. Tears of joy were running down her face, and now down his face as well. They fell into each other's arms and kissed as those around began clapping and shouting with joy. The Aurochs were the first to jump up from their bench and cheer in unison, followed by Wakka, Lulu, and all the other Besaid villagers. Rikku was jumping up and down and whooping to beat the band, and even Paine seemed to get caught up in the moment, clapping and smiling a toothy grin that she had never shown before, not even to the Crimson Squad.  
  
With a sudden burst of speed, the villagers began moving the benches aside and into a pattern around the village bonfire circle. It wasn't long before a great fire was roaring and all kinds of delicacies brought out from various huts. People were chatting, laughing, and congratulating the happy couple as the post-wedding celebration kicked into full swing.  
  
"I will say one thing about Besaid," said Baralai as he moved through the crowd towards Wakka, "you sure do know how to throw a good party here."  
  
Wakka laughed heartily as he cradled his son in his arms. "Hey, when it's something like this, you know there's just gotta be a huge celebration, ya?" Vidina looked up at Baralai and giggled. "Heh, looks like you just made yourself a new friend here."  
  
Baralai smirked. "Good to know I can be counted on for comic relief as well."  
  
"Hey, thanks again for comin' out to do this. It really meant a lot to Yuna, you know?"  
  
"It was an honor. They really do make a great couple, don't they?" Baralai mused, glancing over as Cid caught Tidus in a bear hug and Rikku did the same to Yuna.  
  
"Yeah, they're really something. Hey, 'scuse me, but I gotta go find Lu an' make sure she wasn't swallowed up by this crowd, ya?"  
  
"Go right ahead," said Baralai as Wakka turned and started looking for Lulu. Baralai was just about to cut across the crowd and try to find Paine when he heard a frantic, low buzzing sound. He looked around for a moment until he realized he was standing next to the Besaid Commsphere, and it was the one doing the buzzing.  
  
"Who could that be?" Figuring he couldn't ignore it, he kneeled down by the Commsphere and activated it, trying to avoid the villagers as they helped themselves to conversation and party foods. The Commsphere brought up a picture, and Baralai found himself looking at Nooj and Gippal.  
  
"Hey, Baralai!! Sorry if we interrupted your 'temple mission', buddy," Gippal said in his usual relaxed drawl.  
  
"Actually, things just got wrapped up here, Gipp," Baralai replied with a smirk on his face.  
  
"That's good, because we've got a problem." All the humor had drained from Gippal's face. Baralai raised an eyebrow; Gippal never flip-flopped emotions like that unless something serious was up.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Nooj spoke up, slow and silent. "Something's happened in the Thunder Plains.........  
  
[A/N: OK, this chapter was a bear to write, and I KNOW it isn't quite as action oriented as some would hope. Not all my chapters are intended to be quite this long. I'd had a vision in my mind of the wedding sequence for a while, and I hope it reflects well on the established characters. Not to worry, those of you who want action; it's coming up. Please read & review; I really want to make this story work.] 


	3. An Unexpected Interruption

[A/N: Thanks to everyone for your support of this little endeavor; I aim to please. Insert grin here More reviews are welcome; if you have a flame save it for the campfire pit please. I don't own the setting or the characters of FFX-2, despite efforts to the contrary. Enjoy!]  
  
Chapter 3: An Unexpected Interruption  
  
In the shattered remnants of the Travel Agency, several small Drakes scuttled about, poking into cabinets in search of food. Rain trickled in through holes in the roof and the broken windows at a steady pace. Tables were smashed, chairs scattered far and wide, and the reception counter was cracked and soaked with rainwater and mud.  
  
Malar stood silently in the middle of the room, his eyes shut and his right hand extended in front of him. His clothing was clean now, the rips and frays repaired. It still clung to only one shoulder, but now the ancient script emblazoned on the fabric could be seen a little more clearly. He wore a pair of heavy black boots, "borrowed" from an unfortunate Agency attendant. A deep violet glow was flickering softly from the center of his palm. His brow furrowed and the light intensified slightly. A Drake that was creeping around his feet shuddered and jumped away from him.  
  
_It is as I suspected. They have not yet awakened, but they may before long._  
  
Malar's eyes opened, his crimson irises bathed in the light from the single amethyst in his right hand. A gem that seemed to be well and truly a part of his palm.  
  
_I must have the first one before it calls to the others. Go and claim it, my friends._ Malar paused, as if trying to decide on something, and then smiled wickedly. _Best not to let anyone near it know the true reason for your presence. Destroy them all.  
_  
He chuckled softly to himself and relaxed his hand. The amethyst's glow faded.  
  
The gem sank into his palm and disappeared, leaving no trace of a scar.

* * *

Paine had just managed to extricate herself away from O'aka's latest sales pitch and was headed towards one of the buffet tables when she practically tripped over Baralai.  
  
"Hey, be careful down there; you could get run over pretty easily," she said, giving his shoulder a nudge. When he didn't immediately respond, a frown crossed her face. "It's also unwise to ignore someone who's trying to give you advice."  
  
Baralai looked up absently, then realized who was talking to him. "Oh, sorry Paine; I wasn't trying to ignore you. We've got a bit of a situation here. Something's not right."  
  
Paine raised an eyebrow and glanced over at the Commsphere. "What's going on?"  
  
Nooj spoke up first. "As I was telling Baralai, we just got a report in that the weather in the Thunder Plains took an unexpected turn for the worse not long ago. From the way it sounds, the storms turned into a veritable hurricane with no prior warning, and several structures have been damaged or destroyed, including at least one lightning tower."  
  
"Has anyone found a reason yet?" Paine asked, turning and gesturing for Rikku to come over.  
  
"Nothing so far. And what makes it even stranger, apparently the storm whipped up about six days ago; we've only just gotten word about it now," Nooj continued. "That in and of itself doesn't make sense."  
  
"What's the big deal, Paine? You're missing out on all the fun!!" Rikku whined as she joined the group, followed closely by Yuna and Tidus.  
  
"Personally I don't find one of O'aka's sales pitches that much fun," Paine replied.  
  
"You got cornered by O'aka already?" Yuna said, giggling a little. "That man never lets up when the selling bug bites."  
  
"Boy, that's the truth," Tidus added. "Did you know he's even dipping into real estate now? He tried to sell us a bungalow in Luca earlier; we had to tell him no three times before he relented," he said with a chuckle.  
  
"Didn't want to move, Yunie?" Rikku asked.  
  
"No, we just didn't want to live in the tool shed he was trying to sell us," Yuna replied, and she and Tidus burst out laughing.  
  
"Um, HELLO???" Gippal's voice broke through the laughter that was now pervading the group. "Need I remind you folks about the Thunder Plains again? Whatever it was that caused that storm, it wasn't normal, and to make a long story short, Baralai, we're gonna need you back here in Bevelle as soon as possible. The faithful of New Yevon are starting to get in an uproar over this; they need you to calm them down."  
  
"Wait a min, what storm? Thunder Plains? What's going on?" Rikku said, turning her attention back to the Commsphere. Tidus and Yuna stopped laughing and gathered closer as well.  
  
"What I still don't understand is how a storm strong enough to destroy a lightning tower wouldn't have been reported for six days," Paine interjected. "Wouldn't there have been some notification over the Comm Network from the Plains, or even from Guadosalam?"  
  
"First off, the Commsphere in the plains hasn't been working for the past month. We tried to get it fixed, but it didn't work; it may have gotten overloaded by its proximity to the towers," Gippal replied. "Second, Guadosalam didn't have any reason to check on the Plains; they're closing the access tunnel down for winter, since no one really does any traveling that way once it gets cold."  
  
"But someone would still notice, wouldn't they? A storm that massive can't just waltz past Guadosalam without raising a few eyebrows," said Baralai as he straightened out his headband. "You sure you didn't hear anything from LeBlanc, guys?"  
  
Nooj sighed. "I contacted her a short while ago, and she said they didn't notice anything at all."  
  
Yuna crossed her arms and a vexed expression worked its way onto her face. "This doesn't sound right at all. I've never heard of the weather on the Thunder Plains getting bad enough to knock a tower down, much less not be heard about until days later."  
  
Something caught Gippal's eye and he excused himself from the Commsphere image. Nooj continued, "Whatever the cause, you'd better get back here as soon as you can, Baralai. We're sending a company of troops down to investigate, they should have more details in a day or so."  
  
"All right, guys. I'll be on my way as soon as I can." Baralai stood up and turned to the others. "I hate to run out on you all like this, but business calls. Can you get Brother over here and tell him to get the Celsius ready?"  
  
"You got it. And don't worry about having to leave, we understand. I just hope you can figure out what's going on," said Yuna.  
  
"Thanks again for everything you've done today, and good luck," Tidus said as he shook Baralai's hand.  
  
"HEY!! Baralai, wait!!" Gippal's voice boomed out of the Commsphere.  
  
"Geez, Gippal, you didn't have to shout so loud! You trying to break the Commsphere or something??" Rikku snapped.  
  
"Sorry Rikku, but there's been a change of plan. We've got a worse problem on our hands, and it's happening right now!"  
  
A look of surprise and worry washed over Rikku's face. _That's the first time Gippal's called me by name in a long time.... What's going on now?? He's never this serious!_  
  
"What do you mean, Gipp?" Baralai crouched down by the Commsphere again, followed by the others.  
  
"I just got an emergency distress call from Kilika Island. There are fiends going berserk all over the place, not just in the jungles but in the village as well! League forces are getting hammered and there's more fiends cropping up every minute!"  
  
Everyone gasped. There hadn't been a fiend problem like that since, as best anyone could remember, since Sin had been around. Fiends had almost never ventured near the village, and even if they did, the gates had been strong enough to hold them back.  
  
"You..... You can't be serious....." Yuna stammered. "Not the temple again....."  
  
"No, this time the fiends aren't emerging from the temple, Yuna," Gippal interjected. "No idea what the cause is, but they're cropping up in the jungles and also in the harbor. The call came in from Dona; she said they're getting more vicious than anything she's ever seen!"  
  
"If it's bad enough to scare Dona, that's really scary," Paine muttered grimly.  
  
"How many forces have we got in Kilika?" Baralai asked, urgency creeping into his voice.  
  
"We had two squads down there, but from what Dona said they may be getting depleted rapidly," Gippal replied. "Looks like the Plains incident is gonna have to wait. You're closer to Kilika than the troops in Luca; get as many troops as you can and get over there on the Celsius to try and contain the attackers."  
  
"WHAT troops? There aren't any League or Yevonite forces on Besaid these days!!" Baralai was almost shouting. A few of the Aurochs glanced over from the party, but no one really paid them much attention.  
  
"Ah geez, I forgot about that. Well, we've gotta do something; it'll take too long to dispatch anyone from Luca," Gippal muttered, holding one hand to his head.  
  
Paine stepped closer to the Commsphere. "I'll go with you."  
  
Baralai's head shot up. "Paine?"  
  
Gippal's head shot up as well. "Oh DUH!!! What was I thinking? I'd forgotten Besaid has some of the best fighters and sphere hunters in all Spira; Paine, you and the Gullwings are lifesavers!"  
  
"HEY!!" cried Rikku. "Are you asking us all to go and fight? Geez, Gippal, your sense of timing is worse than your sense of tact!!"  
  
"Huh? Hey, kiddo, I wouldn't be asking if this wasn't an emergency!!"  
  
"Look, I don't mind going either, but you can't ask us all to leave! After all, you know......" Rikku folded her arms and gestured her head in Tidus and Yuna's direction.  
  
"Rikku's right, Gippal. She and I should be sufficient to take care of a few fiends," added Paine.  
  
"Three people against a fiend horde that size is a hell of a big risk," said Nooj. "Look, I hate to be asking this, but I myself would really prefer at least one other person go with you. There is something to be said for strength in numbers."  
  
"Oh, come on! There's gotta be some way around this......" Rikku whined.  
  
All this time, Yuna stood a little ways away from the Commsphere, biting her lower lip and clenching her left hand. _This is terrible. What am I supposed to do now? If they don't get over to Kilika soon, lots more people are going to die. Why did this have to happen today of all days? I want to help, but......_ She looked down at her feet and tried not to listen to Rikku's protests. _I can't ask him to let me go, not today...._ Just then she felt Tidus' hand slip into her free, unclenched right hand. She looked up; he had that same caring look on his face that he had years ago, when they were together in Macalania for the first time.  
  
"Yuna, it's okay. I know you want to help them," he said softly.  
  
"But..... This was supposed to be our time. I didn't want to disrupt that; it was just going to be the two of us taking a vacation from it all." She looked down at her feet. "I do want to help..... But I didn't want to make you upset either."  
  
"Yuna, you can't make me upset by asking if you can go help someone. That's part of what makes you who you are." He reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her eyes. "Look, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that life is full of unexpected things. Tell me; in your heart, what do you want to do right now?"  
  
Yuna just stood there for a moment, wondering how he could be this understanding. "I..... I want to go and help out in Kilika."  
  
Tidus smiled. "Then let's go and help out. Both of us. We have all the time in the world ahead of us now; a few side trips here and there won't hurt much."  
  
Yuna shook her head and smiled. "How is it you always know just what to say when I need you to say it?"  
  
"I guess that's a mystery that may never be solved," he replied. Yuna giggled and hugged him before they turned their attention back to the group.  
  
"I'm pretty sure Wakka's in no condition to fight right now," Paine was saying.  
  
"Maybe, but it'd be better to ask him to come along than Lulu; she has to look after Vidina and everything!" Rikku replied.  
  
"Vidina is Wakka's son too, Rikku," Paine shot back.  
  
"There's no need to worry about finding someone to fill in, guys," Tidus said, causing all three to turn their heads. "Give us some time to get our gear together, then meet us on board the Celsius. We're moving out."  
  
Rikku stared, dumbstruck. "Huh? Wha??? You..... You can't be serious!"  
  
"Rikku, those people in Kilika need our help, and we do know our way around fiend fights," Yuna said, placing a hand on her cousin's shoulder. "It's all right; we want to do this."  
  
"But this was.... I mean..... today was.....you shouldn't have to.....Yunie......"  
  
"It wouldn't be right if we didn't lend a hand, Rikku," said Tidus as he placed a hand on Yuna's shoulder. "Besides, we're a team. All of us. It wouldn't be good to send half the team into the arena when you're facing an entire team, you know?"  
  
"Ooooohhhhhhhh......." Rikku shuffled her feet a bit, looking down at the ground. "I'll find a way to make it up to you two somehow, I promise!!!" she finally said.  
  
"Now that that's settled, we'd better get a move on," Baralai said as he nodded towards the Commsphere. Nooj and Gippal nodded back before the picture faded out. "I'd better go talk to Brother and get him to get the Celsius ready for liftoff. See you all on board soon, I hope."  
  
"You got it!" said Tidus and Yuna together.  
  
"Sounds like another day in paradise awaits," muttered Paine in her here-we-go-again tone.  
  
[A/N: Upcoming chapters should be more fast-paced. Please R & R and let me know if there's anything I can do to make my story a little better- more of one character, less of another, anything. This is still a haphazard work in progress, so be gentle please. To be continued.......] 


	4. Crisis in Kilika

[A/N: Thanks for the continued support of my writing; it's a real incentive to keep this up! Hopefully things should start to get real interesting now. Once again, I don't own any of Square Enix's creations, though I did buy the game and strategy guide at a game store. Enjoy! -Neon Ronin]  
  
Chapter 4: Crisis in Kilika  
  
The Celsius screamed over the ocean's surface at a breakneck pace, pushing its power plant and hover turbines close to the red line. Its occupants had made their departure from Besaid as quietly as possible, not wanting to stir up unwanted panic amongst the villagers. For all they knew, the Celsius was destined for some romantic getaway; they had no idea what was really in store for the people on board.  
  
On the bridge, last-minute preparations were underway as the Gullwings gathered their equipment together and programmed their respective Garment Grids. Having changed into their regular clothes, they were a little more relaxed, but they knew they couldn't get too laid back now.  
  
"Where did I put those daggers? Brother, did you move my gear AGAIN??"  
  
"Tuh'd muug yd sa, Rikku! E ryja paddan drehkc du funno ypuid dryh ouin zihg!  
  
[Translation: Don't look at me, Rikku! I have better things to worry about than your junk!]  
  
"HEY! Don't call my daggers junk, you big doofus!"  
  
"I am no doofus!! I am Captain of the Celsius and of the Gullwings, and don't you forget it!!"  
  
"Hey, settle down you guys! I found your daggers right over here, Rikku." Yuna pointed to the pile of junk next to Shinra's console, where Rikku's daggers were sitting in plain sight under a spare Grid. "Now let's just calm down and focus on getting ready for this."  
  
"You see, Rikku? Listen to Yuna, and remember who the real doofus is!!" Rikku didn't respond to Brother, but grabbed her daggers off the pile and stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"How much longer until we reach Kilika, Buddy?" Tidus finished polishing his sword Caladbolg and began locking spheres into his Grid. "With the way you're racing the engine, I'm hoping we get there before you throw a rod on this ship."  
  
"Just a little while longer, big guy," Buddy replied in his usual laid- back tone. Tidus raised an eyebrow in his direction. _Now there's someone who never gets riled up. Doesn't Buddy ever get stressed about anything?_  
  
"Hey, wasn't there a Rune Bracer in the equipment bin? I can't find it."  
  
"I've got it, Yuna," Paine called from the other side of the room. She grabbed the bracer and tossed it to Yuna. "Tidus, can you get me my Power Wrist, it's right next to you."  
  
Tidus retrieved the leather wrist strap and lobbed it to Paine. "All yours, Dr. P."

* * *

Kilika port had become a disaster area. Most of the villagers had bolted and barred themselves inside their huts, trying desperately to escape the swarms of fiends that had emerged, seemingly, from nowhere. The jungle barricade had collapsed, ripped down by the claws of a pack of Coeurls. Assassin Bees were terrorizing anything that moved. Roofs and walls were getting hammered by fiendish claws and teeth, and it didn't look like they were going to hold for much longer. What frightened the villagers most was the attack was apparently being spearheaded by squads of fiends they had never seen before, at least not in Kilika. The League forces that remained were getting steadily pushed further South down the docks, and most were nearly out of ammunition.  
  
As they neared the Southernmost edge of the docks, their worst fear came true as a group of Sahagin sea fiends burst from the water directly across from them. Now there were fiends advancing from the side as well as the front. One trooper fired his last remaining rounds towards the Sahagins with little effect; the next anyone knew, he was sprawled on the docks covered in blood, knocked down by the beast's water attack.  
  
A sudden roar came from overhead, causing the troops to look up in terror. A second passed, and the terror in their eyes was replaced with hope as the Celsius came down low over the docks. The access ramp underneath opened rapidly, and five figures descended from within.  
  
Tidus hit the docks first and sprinted toward the Sahagin trio. They barely had time to turn around before he grabbed one by the massive dorsal fins and smashed Caladbolg down across its neck. The fiend barely had time to screech before it exploded into a mass of pyreflies. The remaining two recovered from the initial shock and tried to grab him from both sides, but Tidus was too quick and backflipped out from between them. Enraged, they attempted to water blast him; he evaded one shot but got hit in the left arm by the other. Just then a rattle of automatic weaponry erupted next to him, followed by a second Sahagin dropping and evaporating. Tidus glanced over and gave Yuna a quick thumbs-up as she popped a fresh ammo clip into each of her guns. The third fiend, now well and truly confused, had little time to recover as a man in green jumped directly in front of it and smashed it across the face with his double-bladed staff. The Sahagin fell into the water and did not come up again, much to Baralai's satisfaction.  
  
"You planning to leave anything for the rest of us?" quipped Paine, holding her sword at her side.  
  
"This was just a taste of what's going on in there," Baralai responded. "Best to exercise caution at all times."  
  
The remaining League forces scrambled to their feet and fell back to the Gullwings' position, thanking them profusely for their timely arrival. Baralai quickly procured several vials of healing potion and administered them to the wounded.  
  
"We'd better move fast, there's more fiends about to come around the bend," said Yuna.  
  
Almost on cue, two Coeurls rounded the edge of the dock and headed straight for them.  
  
"Hurt time!!!" Paine shouted as she raised her sword and plunged into the fray. She didn't seem to notice the energy sparks beginning to swirl around one of the Coeurls.  
  
"Paine, wait! Hold back!" Baralai dashed forward just a second too late as Paine got knocked to her knees by the feline's Blaster attack. Rikku yelped and sprinted into the fray, and Tidus and Yuna did the same. The second Coeurl leaped forward and tried to tear Rikku to shreds, but she ducked in under it and slashed upwards with her matched daggers. Baralai was administering a Hi-Potion to Paine and almost didn't see the first Coeurl leaping upon him. He jammed one end of his staff in the beast's maw and tried to push it back, but it could not be done. Yuna ejected the chambered round in her gun and slammed in a higher powered flechette round, firing off a Scattershot that caused both beasts to howl in agony. The Coeurl Baralai had been wrestling with broke off its attack just as Paine sprang to her feet and cut a massive gouge across its flank. Tidus stepped in and elbowed the second beast in the side of the head, whipped his sword around and stabbed it right through the heart, causing it to burst and evaporate into a wave of pyreflies. A quick second slash from Paine and a gunshot between the eyes from Yuna finished off the other one.  
  
"That was a little rougher than I thought," muttered Paine. "I can't believe I forgot those things could do that."  
  
"Just be careful next time, okay?" Baralai's voice was curt, but obviously concerned. "I'm in no mood to lose any good friends today because of recklessness." Paine was about to argue that Rikku was the reckless one, but something in the way Baralai was looking at her made her stay silent.  
  
All of a sudden, a loud buzzing could be heard approaching. "Wasps!!" Rikku yelled. "Better switch to ranged attacks, you guys!" She crossed her daggers and activated her Grid, emerging from the transformation light in the gear and clothes of a Gun Mage.  
  
Tidus punched the Gunner sphere on his Grid, instantly entering an aura of white light. His Blitzer overalls were quickly replaced with black slacks, the Zanarkand Abes team logo emblazoned on the left shin. His sneakers were now black boots, and he wore a white t-shirt under a short black jacket with yellow flames etched across the back, and black gloves. Buckles and chains hung from his belt, framing a double holster rig from which he now drew a pair of silver automatics. Paine shook her head in amusement as she activated her own Grid and took on the trappings of a Black Mage.  
  
The team rounded the corner and were confronted immediately by a veritable swarm of Death Daubers. The massive insects began diving rapidly towards the newcomers, and were greeted promptly by a hail of lead. Yuna crouched and somersaulted forward, rolled up and unleashed a two-fisted attack, emptying both weapons into the swarm. Tidus ran up a side stairway and fired repeatedly, spinning around to meet the wasps that were coming at him from both directions. Rikku charged up a specialty bullet and blasted it into the swarm, felling one instantly. Several Daubers exited the swarm and executed a fly-by attack, grazing Rikku across the shoulder and Yuna on the leg. Tidus promptly whirled and blasted Yuna's attacker out of the sky, while Baralai twirled his staff and tore the other one to ribbons.  
  
"This is really bad! There's way too many!" Rikku whined as she charged up and fired again, knocking another Dauber out of the sky.  
  
"Not for long there aren't!" shouted Paine, raising her staff and focusing not on one, but all the Daubers. "FIRAGA!!" A torrent of flame exploded from the middle of the group, sending countless wasps to their doom. It wasn't over, though. Several larger, meaner looking stragglers shot down towards the group; Tidus ducked and rolled away from one, but couldn't get away from a second one fast enough. The creature pushed him to the ground and stabbed him in the gut with his stinger, causing him to gasp and grit his teeth in pain.  
  
"NO!" Yuna screamed, slamming another clip into her gun and shooting the Dauber right through the wings. The fiend shrieked in pain and let up on its grip. With a sudden burst of strength, Tidus jammed his feet against its thorax and shoved the Dauber off of him, jerked his own guns upward and unloaded both clips directly into the fiend's face. As it burst into nothingness, Tidus staggered up and then immediately doubled over as a sensation of fire shot through his gut. Yuna was at his side immediately; Baralai and Paine's combined efforts made short work of the few remaining wasps.  
  
"Damn, I didn't expect them to be that fast.... Or that strong," Tidus gasped as Yuna put a vial of Antidote to his lips. "That wasn't anything like the wasps we've faced before." He finished swallowing the potion and the pain in his side rapidly dissipated. "Are you okay, Yuna? What about the others?"  
  
Yuna shook her head and smiled a tiny bit. "You always worry about others first, don't you? I'm fine. The others too." She gently put her arm around him and helped him to his feet. "How bad does it hurt now?"  
  
"Better, but still pretty bad.... Ouch." Tidus reached into his jacket and retrieved a vial of Hi-Potion. Gulping it down, he glanced around looking for the next fiend wave. "Can you hear if anything is coming?"  
  
"There doesn't appear to be anything yet," Yuna replied. "There's still some noise coming from further North; that must be where they're focusing on."  
  
"Phew!! This day is just turning completely disasterrific!!" Rikku grumbled as she and the others caught up to their position. "Are you guys all right?"  
  
"We'd better keep moving. The real fight is still further on," said Paine. Just then a cry broke out from further up in the village.  
  
"DONAAAAAAA!!!!"  
  
Everyone looked at each other. "There's only one person I know who sounds like that!" said Yuna as she raised her guns and broke into a dead run.

* * *

Crouched by the stairway that led into their hut, Barthello was locked in a vicious struggle against a large and angry-looking Barbuta. He was covered in vicious gouges and bruises, but remained standing out of sheer force of will. "Just hold on, Dona, please!" he pleaded, trying desperately to push the fiend back. Behind him on the stairs, Dona lay in a crumpled heap, her clothes stained with blood and her eyes barely open. "I won't let this beast finish you off!!!" The words were barely out of his mouth when his knees buckled and the Barbuta pushed him down onto the dock. It raised a claw to strike, when something caught his eye beyond the fallen pair.  
  
"Chew on this, you bastard!!" Yuna drilled into the beast with both barrels, knocking it backwards from Barthello. As soon as she fired her last rounds, she quickly stopped and ducked down; with the timing perfected by a lot of practice, Tidus executed a diving roll directly over Yuna, rolled up and emptied both of his weapons into the still-reeling fiend. With a mangled squeal, it dropped and evaporated. Yuna had already jumped to her feet and Spherechanged into the robes of a White Mage.  
  
"Show-offs!" said Rikku lightly as she caught up to the group. "Paine and I never get that rollover switch to work as well as you do."  
  
"That was a pretty impressive combo," noted Baralai as he circled around the group and took up a defensive position. "How are they doing?"  
  
"Dona's in pretty bad shape," said Yuna, worry evident in her voice. "Barthello's not so bad, but we've got to work fast." She raised her staff and invoked the words of prayer and hope that could bring someone back from near-death. A white glow enveloped Dona's body. Blood stopped flowing and color began to return to her face. She shook her head slightly and opened her eyes a bit more.  
  
"Well...... looks like we still need to depend on you sometimes, Yuna." The words were tinged with humor, but it was the same old Dona through and through. Yuna wiped the sweat off her brow and smiled in relief.  
  
"I'm just glad we got here in time. I couldn't believe it was this bad."  
  
"I was sure I could handle such an inconvenience by myself, of course," said Dona, sitting up slowly. "But apparently I underestimated the tenacity of these fiends."  
  
"Hey Baralai! Anything approaching from the North? It's all clear down South!" said Rikku.  
  
"Actually, so far it looks all right," Baralai responded. "There's a few lizard fiends near the gates, but I don't see anything else."  
  
"Whoa, don't try to sit up too fast," Yuna admonished as Dona tried to get to her feet. "You're still pretty badly banged up."  
  
"Oh, it'll take more than this to put me down for good." Dona procured a bottle of Hi-Potion and was about to drink it, when she paused and looked over at Barthello, who was standing but shaky. She looked at the bottle in her hand, then took a step over and gave it to him to drink.  
  
"Here. You'll need to be in top form if you expect to be my guardian effectively," she said, a little louder than necessary. She tried to hide the smile that was creeping onto her face, with minimal success. The others just smiled and shook their heads in amusement. Rikku was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Barthello finished gulping down the potion and straightened up. "I won't let you be hurt again, Dona. I promise," he declared. Dona nodded in approval, and this time let her smile shine through.  
  
Just then a massive crash was heard out in the harbor, followed by numerous splashes and the sound of churning water. Baralai dashed across the dock bridge to the other side, where the access bridge to the Youth League watchtower had been under construction for the last few months. The others followed quickly, weapons readied. Rounding the last hut, they stopped and gaped. The tower was being overrun with fiends that were leaping from the ocean and almost instantly becoming airborne. They were like nothing anyone had ever seen; great humanoid beasts with batlike wings and reptilian arms and legs. Their heads were freakish monstrosities with swept-back horns, jutting jaws with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a gaping hole where a nose might have been. Glowing red eyes peered out from the fiends' eye sockets.  
  
"Are you sure this isn't just a dream, because those things look like nightmares to me......" Rikku shivered and looked like she would bolt for cover any moment.  
  
"Nightmare or no, those things are getting hurt." Paine twirled her staff and took a swig of Ether potion.  
  
"Looks like that outpost was their true goal," said Baralai. "They drive the villagers away and attack their primary objective without interference."  
  
"Yeah, but they didn't count on the Gullwings showing up," said Tidus as he activated his Grid and started the Spherechange sequence into an Alchemist.  
  
"What's the next step, then?" said Rikku. Next to her, Yuna was already Spherechanging back to her Gunner mode.  
  
Tidus emerged from the sequence clad in a red and black trench coat covered with buckles and straps, heavy-duty shoulder guards, red pants and black boots rimmed with yellow. "First, we get in close enough to scan these things and find out their weak points. Then we fall back and let 'em come to us, and pick them off one at a time."  
  
"That access bridge looks awfully narrow; we won't have much room to move around," Yuna remarked.  
  
"I know. It's gonna be tough, but we can't back out now," Tidus muttered, casting a look at the narrow pontoon bridge. "If we don't finish these things off, who knows what or who they might claw onto next?"  
  
"Then let's go kick some fiendish tail!" Yuna said brightly, chambering a round into each gun.  
  
Tidus nodded, locking and loading the rifle he was now carrying. Paine gripped her staff and glared at the fiends ahead with an eager air. Baralai brushed his hair back and checked his reserve supply of potions. Rikku sighed and prepared an Antiaircraft bullet. "E fecr E fana eh Djose ehcdayt....." she whined to herself.  
  
Translation: I wish I were in Djose instead.....

* * *

Malar twitched and his eyes flew open. He opened his left hand and furrowed his brow, a furious gleam in his ruby irises. A violet crystal emerged from his palm and cast a livid glow across the room. The glow grew fuzzy, then clearer as a distinct image emerged.  
  
"What is this?" he growled as images of five warriors emerged. "There shouldn't be anyone left who can fight!!!!" The anger in his eyes grew more intense as he saw a young man with blond hair take down one of his prized Wrathfangs with some sort of explosive device, while another man with silver hair spun a double-bladed staff with devastating force, cutting down two more. Even worse, three girls appeared to be holding their own with projectile weapons of a type he was unfamiliar with, except one.  
  
Malar peered closer in and saw the final girl clad in the trappings of elemental magic. "So...... that legacy has still endured. That stunted and unenlightened legacy......." Anger crept into his face again, when suddenly the girl in black turned and looked right at the Wrathfang whose eyes he was currently seeing through. He barely had time to glimpse her face before the image became glazed over and suddenly vanished.  
  
_She must have taken that one out......_ he pondered quietly to himself. _This is an unexpected problem. Hopefully the Morlach will be a better match for these interlopers; by all rights he should have found it already. If not, then I may have to accelerate things a little. It's not over yet......_  
  
Then something he had seen made him stop and think.  
  
"Red eyes........" He leaned back in his chair and smiled quietly to himself.  
  
"She has red eyes........."  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
[A/N: I apologize for the cliffhanger, but I feel it works. I've discovered writing action sequences is actually quite tricky; I hope I've done a decent job of it. One other thing: the design of Tidus' Gunner attire is very similar to the clothes worn by Squall of FF8 fame. I don't own the characters from that game either, but I draw inspiration from many sources. Hope that helps you visualize it better. More chapters coming when my imagination wills it!!] 


	5. Revelations

[A/N: I own nothing of Square Enix. Yet they own my soul. Quick recap of who was using what DressSphere in the last chapter. Yuna: Gunner. Tidus: Alchemist. Rikku: Gun Mage. Paine: Black Mage. Baralai: Himself.]  
  
Chapter 5: Revelations  
  
The crazed abominations, which Rikku had deduced from a scanning were called Wrathfangs, had torn most of the planking of the watchtower into kindling. Luckily there was still enough space to stand on, which became even more vital as the fiends took to the skies and began divebombing the group. Their skin was remarkably durable, forcing Yuna to eject her normal bullets and reload with armor-piercing "Cheap Shot" rounds. Baralai swung his staff in a wide arc as two Wrathfangs descended upon him, carving both across the chest but inflicting minimal apparent damage. "This is getting a little too hot to handle, guys!!" Rikku shouted as she blasted one of the fiends with an infused slug. "Just keep at them; they can't hold out forever!" Paine yelled back, jabbing her staff in the air and encasing two fiends in blocks of ice.  
  
Tidus jammed a hand into one of his trenchcoat pockets and pulled out a fistful of ingredients. Picking two that seemed to shimmer with magical auras, he crammed them into a small mixing vial and shook the concoction viciously. "Hold on, everyone; this could get interesting!!" he yelled as he chucked the rapidly glowing canister into the air. Everyone ducked just as the airborne Wrathfangs became engulfed in a whirlwind of white light; bolts of holy energy rocketed out from the skies, tearing half of the fiends to shreds. Tidus stared. "What did I just do?!?"  
  
"Looks like you found one of their weaknesses; Holy damage!" Yuna called back with a smile on her face. The smile was short-lived, as the remaining half of the Wrathfang group descended to meet their prey face to face. In a flurry of claws and teeth, they tore into the five with reckless abandon. Tidus and Yuna were both slashed pretty badly, but the fact that they had repositioned back-to-back meant they each took less damage than they would otherwise. Another pair were determined to crush Paine between themselves, but Baralai jumped in at the last second and blocked their attacks, partly with his staff and partly with his own body. Rikku ducked and rolled and just barely managed to avoid being mauled.  
  
"We gotta get through that armor of theirs!!" Rikku said as an intrigued look crossed her face. Quickly she calibrated her gun and checked what techniques she had been able to store within it. "Ah-HA!" she cried out, flipping the gun forward and charging up eldritch energies. "Let's see how these guys enjoy the taste of HEAVEN'S CATARACT!!" A blinding shower of light burst forth from her gun, tearing at the fiends before them. Screeches of pain threatened to deafen every last one of the Gullwings, and as the smoke cleared, it was obvious that their tough hides were charred and weakened.  
  
"We've almost got them now, don't let up!" Yuna gasped, flipping both pistols forward and emptying them into the nearest Wrathfang. Tidus jammed his rifle into the nearest fiend's rapidly approaching maw and pulled the trigger; Baralai staggered up and spun his staff around, unleashing his devastating Glint attack. Shrieks went up from every last fiend as they collapsed and dissolved into pyreflies. Without a second's hesitation, Tidus crammed several healing potions into a mixing vial and tossed it into the air. The canister burst open, showering the five of them with powerful healing salve.  
  
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, followed by an incredibly loud SLAP that caused Tidus and Yuna to glance around in surprise and Rikku to visibly wince. Baralai just stood there with his eyes wide open, a red mark on his left cheek.  
  
"Baralai, you idiot!!" Paine was visibly shaking and biting her lower lip as she lowered her open hand. "Why did you have to go and do something like that?? You could have been killed!!"  
  
"So could you, Paine," he responded in a soft voice.  
  
"I know the risks; I can take care of myself."  
  
"You were being cornered; I didn't want you outnumbered."  
  
"So you let yourself become a punching bag for those things; do you have any idea how stupid that was????" Paine's voice was almost choking.  
  
Baralai stood silent for a moment, then took a step forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "Paine...... I'm sorry. I acted before I thought; I'll be more careful next time."  
  
She looked up at him and saw the way he was looking at her, and slowly her anger faded. _I shouldn't have snapped at him like that; he was only trying to help, even if he did something stupid like that...._ Paine straightened out and brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "Just don't feel you have to be a human shield for my sake, okay? I don't want anyone getting hurt over me." A barely perceptible tear lingered at the corner of one eye.  
  
A low guttural howl suddenly broke forth from further up in the watchtower. The Gullwings all glanced up and quickly noticed a gaping hole that was gouged into the side of the massive coral reef that made up the tower's central support. Tidus pushed his goggles back on his forehead. "Looks like there's more work to be done," he muttered grimly. "Does anyone need another shot of healing potion before we see what's up there?" The others checked themselves and it appeared that a few scrapes aside, his earlier Mega-Potion mixture had done the trick.  
  
'Time to get serious," Paine said as she punched a sphere on her Grid. Flame and light engulfed her, replacing her Mage's robes with the spiked steel of Dark Knight armor. The change complete, the group made their way up the shattered wooden ramps as fast as possible, towards the opening torn into the ancient reef.

* * *

The chasm within the living coral gave off a cerulean glow none would have expected; the walls were permeated with veins of blue crystal that seemed to flicker in response to the presence of the Gullwings. Wind currents drifting through the porous cavern walls, creating the sensation that the cavern was a living, breathing entity. Despite the luminescence of the walls, the heart of the coral reef was steeped in darkness. Yuna shivered, peering desperately into the darkness ahead of them.  
  
"What do you think made that noise?" she pondered aloud.  
  
"It sounded almost like the cry of a whale," Tidus said, "but there was something about it I didn't like at all." He passed a hand over one of the walls beside them. "I've never seen a reef quite like this before......."  
  
A low groan emerged almost directly in front of them. Everyone whipped around in time to see the darkness before them undulate and turn to face them. As the black form extended upwards and outwards, it took on the semblance of not one fiend, but two seemingly fused together. Rikku first thought it was the biggest Flan fiend she had ever seen, but her eyes widened as the skeletal face and torso of a Lich became apparent at the top of its body. Tendrils of slime worked their way along its grossly oversized arms, and clouds of black ichor roiled through its gelatinous lower body. It stared at the horrified humans before it, and then did something no fiend had ever done before. It spoke.  
  
"You........ disturb Morlach. Morlach........will end your pain."  
  
Baralai stared. "Did that..... THING just speak??"  
  
Rikku started trembling. "E fyhhy ku rusa, E fyhhy ku rusa, E fyhhy ku rusa....."  
  
[Translation: I wanna go home, I wanna go home, I wanna go home.....]  
  
The beast let out a guttural roar and shot a cloud of viscous black miasma across the cavern floor, knocking everyone to their knees and blinding Tidus, Paine and Baralai. Rikku and Yuna struggled to their feet as a burning sensation erupted in the pit of their stomach. With a cry of desperation, Yuna fired a high-density bullet into the fiend's gelatinous abdomen, knocking chunks of slime across the room and causing it to growl even louder. Rikku stared at the scan readout of her gun as she attempted to discern what they were dealing with. "Uh-oh! This thing isn't registering at all; all I'm getting is Type Unknown!!" she wailed. The Morlach grinned wickedly and raked its claws across the room, gouging everybody it could reach.  
  
Kicking up to his feet, Tidus blindly slammed two ingredients into a canister and lobbed it up, hoping that he had grabbed the right items. Seconds later, a cool wave washed over the party, the burning sensations faded and eyes were opened again. "Here comes the hurt," Paine growled as she stepped forward and smashed her sword into the ground; scorching sensations coursed through her veins as a wave of Darkness blasted forth from her body. The Morlach growled again, making an effort to seem more angry than injured. "Let's see if it can cope with this!!" Rikku shouted stridently, charging up her gun and blasting a Flan-specific bullet into the heart of the beast. It grunted, but did not seem terribly affected by the charge. "Um... I'm open to suggestions, guys???" Rikku didn't get to say much more as pseudopods began lashing forth from the Morlach, scoring wicked lash marks across everyone's arms and faces.  
  
Baralai snapped the cap on a Mega-Potion, showering the group with healing energies as Tidus fastballed a freshly mixed Archangel bomb into the melee. The vial exploded in a whirl of light, tearing through the Morlach but still not stopping it. "We're going to have to take this fight to it!!" Yuna cried as she blasted the fiend with another enchanted round, then jumped back and activated her Grid. White light engulfed her and she sprang forth clad in Warrior's armor, focusing eldritch energies into the blade of her sword. "Heads up, Yuna!" Tidus called out as he tossed another mixture her way. The Wall potion burst around her, enveloping her just as the Morlach bore down upon her and vomited arcane flames upon her figure. As the flames died down, the Morlach grinned- and suddenly stared as Yuna burst forth from the fire, swinging her blade directly at the beast's head. The blade glowed electric blue and smashed one horn clean off; the Morlach screamed in agony just as Paine dashed forward and plunged her own sword into the fiend's slime-coated ribcage.  
  
"How......can this be?" roared the fiend. "Master said......could not be stopped!!!!" Red flames leaped forth from its eye sockets as it whirled madly, dousing the entire room with fire from its palms. Rikku dropped to her knees with a wail, burns covering her arms and legs. Baralai choked back on the pain and dashed forward, pummeling the Morlach's body with staff strikes.  
  
"I don't care what in the Farplane you are, you don't mess with the Gullwings!!" Tidus shouted, Spherechanging back into his usual Warrior garb. Almost faster than the others could see, he jumped and pushed off from the far wall, arching backwards and swinging Caladbolg around as holy fires burst forth from the blade. With both hands, Tidus slammed the sword directly into the fiend's forehead, crushing the skull and continuing through to obliterate the neck and shoulder blades. The Morlach screeched and shuddered, vomiting up clouds of pyreflies as it collapsed and dissipated into nothingness.  
  
The howling of the wind slowly died down within the cavern. There was no other sound except the five warriors catching their breath. Slowly their eyes became accustomed to the glow of the walls around them.  
  
"That......was not my idea of a good time," Rikku moaned as she gulped down some Hi-Potion.  
  
"I hope it's over," Yuna said as she assumed her White Mage robes again and cast a powerful restorative spell on the party. This accomplished, she changed once again to her normal clothes.  
  
"What I'm still confused about is what that thing was, and why it was here...." Baralai mused. "And I'm not too sure I liked the way it mentioned a Master."  
  
"Hey..... Look at this," Tidus interjected as he examined the floor where the fiend had fallen. The others looked over and saw he was holding a perfectly round convex crystal disk, no bigger than his palm. It was a deep blue and seemed to scintillate with the same glow the walls were infused with. "That fiend- the Morlach, or whatever it was- must've dropped it."  
  
Yuna stepped closer. "It looks like something a person might wear, like a pendant."  
  
"Wow..... It's really pretty," said Rikku as she sidled up to take a better look.  
  
"Do you think this is what the fiends were after?" Tidus asked.  
  
"I know fiends often become attracted to Spheres, but this doesn't look anything like that," said Baralai. "Maybe you'd better put that thing down and....."  
  
The crystal started to glow a brighter blue than before. Everyone shuddered involuntarily and took a step back. Tidus stumbled and dropped it on the floor before them, but the glow did not stop. If anything, it grew brighter still. A sound began to drift across the cavern, a gentle sound, reminiscent of the Hymn of the Fayth. Everyone stared in wonder as a soft blue whorl of energy began to form above the crystal, gradually taking on the form of a human woman. Her skin and eyes were a brilliant cerulean hue, her hair held tinges of silver and seemed to be in constant motion. She wore little except for flowing aquamarine cloth that seemed to be less cloth and more pure liquid. There was little anyone could do except stare in awe.  
  
Yuna spoke first. "What are...... Who are you?"  
  
The woman looked towards Yuna and spoke with a definitive echo in her voice. "It has begun already. As I am awake, so too must he be. And Spira shall be all the worse lest we can stop him once more. We feared it would come to this......"  
  
"What do you mean?" Tidus asked. "Who's awake again? Who has to be stopped?"  
  
The woman looked around the room, gazing at those before her with a kindly yet sad expression on her face.  
  
"........ The Immortal."

* * *

"I am Naia. The living spirit of Elemental Water, and Keeper of the Water Crystal. Crafted long ago by my Lord Rilian, Master of the Arcane Arts. I, and those like me, were wrought to combat and seal away a great evil, one who should have remained sealed for all time. He was my lord's greatest enemy, and a plague to all who would not bow to his whims or recognize his self-imposed rulership.  
  
"He was once mortal. A student of my lord Rilian, no less. But in his own arrogance he sought power beyond that which could be controlled. He became a student of Chaos magic, a power too great for most men to wield and stay sane. People feared him for what he had become. They sought to unseat him, lest he turn all of Spira into a blighted landscape just like the Plains of Woe. But all attempts were doomed to failure..... for he had delved into the darkness so far that he had become something other than human. Could not be killed. Could not be Sent to the Farplane.  
  
"His true name was lost to all. No one knew him by any name except that which he had given himself. Malar."  
  
Naia paused in her tale. Yuna stood with her eyes wide in amazement. Tidus had a look of genuine bewilderment on his face. Rikku was biting her lower lip and Paine arched an eyebrow in the direction of the blue woman. Baralai had dropped his staff and was torn between astounded and shocked.  
  
"Malar?" Yuna said. "I've never heard of that name before. It certainly never cropped up in the teachings of Yevon, or in the history of the Machina War."  
  
"It would appear that more time has passed than I first thought," said Naia thoughtfully. Her image glowed and wavered, almost rippling.  
  
"You said this 'Malar' was something called The Immortal earlier," said Baralai. "That doesn't help much; what records remain in Bevelle have never mentioned such a person."  
  
"Someone who can't be killed or Sent?" Tidus wondered aloud. "I never heard of anyone who could cheat death that way, except for........" He trailed off, his eyes growing wide.  
  
"Yu Yevon." Yuna shuddered at the memory of the ordeal they had undergone more than two years past. The one spirit that had endured for ages, never Sent, always returning in the hideous armor of Sin. "But..... But we defeated him, and he had been killed once before, a thousand years ago! He shouldn't still be able to come back!!" she protested.  
  
"I know not of this 'Yu Yevon' of whom you speak," Naia said softly. "Malar was a monster of long, long ago, many ages. Not only did he perfect a means by which he could not die, he became capable of something far worse than any Magus should be allowed to do." She looked at the five before her with sadness in her eyes. "He learned to control the fiends that roam this world. He could command numerous abominations to do his bidding. Just before his imprisonment, worst of all, he had nearly perfected the art of molding them to his own whims........creating fiends of his own design from smaller, weaker ones."  
  
"Which would explain the things we just fought........" Paine said.  
  
"Someone who doesn't die and can control fiends??" Rikku shook her head in disbelief. If that kind of man was running loose in Spira, it could be even worse than Sin, with scores of mutated and enhanced fiends rampaging across the land at his whim! Just then an odd thought struck her. "Hang on a moment. If this guy's all that, why hasn't anyone ever heard about him???"  
  
"That might have to do with the spheres Trema took with him to the Underground," said Baralai. "If what this woman says is correct, any records of this man would had to have been from long before the Machina War, before any of the history that we know today. If those records were among those Trema destroyed, no one today would be able to learn of such a person."  
  
"And now he's apparently on the loose again," said Tidus. "But if he was supposed to be sealed away, what was it that broke him out? And how?"  
  
Naia turned and said, "It was only the combined power of myself and those like me that imprisoned him. There were four of us originally; hopefully the others are still somewhere in Spira. Earth, Fire, Air and Water joined together and countered Malar's Chaos magic, binding him deep beneath the surface of the Plains of Woe. Our task complete, we were consigned to hiding places, to be awakened in the event our service was needed again. The barrier containing The Immortal would not need to be sustained by us, as it was fed from two great fonts of power. To the South, the Farplane entrance at Guadosalam; to the North, the mystic forest of Macalania."  
  
"So he was imprisoned between two....great..... Hey, wait a minute!!" Rikku exclaimed. "You mean..... this Malar guy was sealed under....."  
  
"The Thunder Plains," continued Paine. "And if something were to, say, happen to one of those fonts of energy......."  
  
"The forest." Yuna's voice was trembling. "Macalania Woods...... when the Fayth sank below the lake, the woods began to fade. Almost all of it is dying or dead by now."  
  
"Which means the barrier containing this guy couldn't be sustained any longer," concluded Tidus. "And it could explain that weird storm that Gippal and Nooj were talking about."  
  
"It does seem to conform to a pattern......" Baralai said grimly. Yuna looked down at the floor and said nothing.  
  
_Why?_ her mind was screaming. _Why is it that no matter how hard we try, Spira just keeps getting thrust back into danger time and again? Why couldn't it all have ended when Sin was destroyed?? First Sin, then Shuyin and Vegnagun, and now this?? How many more relics of Spira's past are going to threaten the Calm before we can finally have peace??_ She let out a long sigh and let her arms dangle limp at her sides. _All I wanted was for the two of us to be happy......._  
  
"Yuna?"  
  
Tidus' voice shook her out of her reverie. She blinked a few times and turned to him, a wan smile on her face. "Sorry...... I was just a little overwhelmed for a moment."  
  
"Now is not the time for hesitation." Naia's voice echoed in the small room. "If Malar is awake and is moving, we must act. My brethren, the Elemental Crystals, must be recovered and our powers brought to bear upon him. Only with all four of us may we hope to seal him again."  
  
"So if all four are brought together, you can fight him again?" Rikku asked with a spark of hope in her eye.  
  
"It is not us who must fight. It is you."  
  
Paine sighed. "This just gets better by the minute......"  
  
"We are not independent beings; we never have been. We are weapons. Our powers must be used by those most suited to our natures. Once one of you has accepted a bond with myself or my brethren, our abilities will add to your own many times over." The female form gazed over the party before her, looking at each one in turn before finally stopping and fixing her eyes directly upon one of their party.  
  
She reached forward and touched Yuna on the forehead. "It is you. Will you accept my power?"  
  
A long moment passed. Yuna stood stock-still, not knowing what to say or how to move. _I didn't want to be put in this position again; I just wanted to start a new life..... But if I don't accept..... No, I don't want to imagine that. If this man is capable of everything she says....... There's too many people that could be put in jeopardy if I refuse this!_ Raising her eyes to Naia, she put her right hand forward and nodded. "I accept," she said, almost whispering. The female form nodded, then rapidly dissolved into tendrils of luminescent blue which began wrapping around Yuna's right hand. The crystal disk rose off the floor, pulled into the air by the beams of light and coming to rest on the back of her hand. A blinding flash burst forth, causing everybody to wince and shield their eyes.  
  
_My power is now yours. Use it well, Lady Yuna._  
  
Yuna opened her eyes. The crystal rested on the back of her right hand, surrounded by what appeared to be a fingerless glove made of pure silver. Flecks of sapphire accentuated the edges, and a faint blue glow danced on the surface of the lens. She drew in a deep breath and looked back to the others.  
  
"I guess the Gullwings have a new mission now."  
  
To Be Continued......  
  
[A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too choppy. It took a while to phrase properly, and even now I'm not sure my vision came out just right. Still, I'm happy with it and I hope you guys are too. I really appreciate all the positive feedback I've been getting lately. The next chapter will be an interlude of sorts, then all hell is gonna break loose. Stay tuned! -Neon Ronin] 


	6. A Moment of Calm

[A/N: The characters and places in this fanfic are property of Square Enix. 'Nuff said. Time for a slower pace in this part.]  
  
Chapter 6: A Moment of Calm  
  
As the sun began to set over Kilika, it became apparent the Celsius was not going anywhere soon. The great airship had been ingloriously parked near the shores just next to the port town, and all its engines had fallen silent. The villagers were comforted, in a way; if another fiend swarm came during the night, there would be someone right there to help them. As it was, the people of Kilika set about repairing the damage done to their village, and gradually their worries subsided as time passed.  
  
Onboard the Celsius, things were a bit more frantic.  
  
"Drec ec y lydycdnubra!! So payidevim yencreb, yd dra sanlo uv y runnahtuic ihvunacaah secryb!!" Brother shouted from deep within the engine room. Oil and grease covered him from head to foot, giving him the appearance of a large ungainly crow.  
  
[Translation: This is a catastrophe!! My beautiful airship, at the mercy of a horrendous unforeseen mishap!!]  
  
"Hey, you're the one who was slacking off on regular engine maintenance!!" retorted Rikku from the other end of the room. "All that gunk building up in the system, it's no wonder the valves bound up; you're just lucky the primary engine block didn't crack wide open!!" she grumbled, throwing a wrench to the floor and wiping the grease from her forehead.  
  
"I did not slack off!!" Brother replied in a defensive tone. "There were..... many things that required attention! As Captain, I am forever busy!"  
  
"Busy being a nuisance," Rikku muttered under her breath as she opened a valve access panel. She winced as she got a clear view of the damage in the system. "GEEZ! Talk about a disrespect for machina!"  
  
"Hey Rikku, we've got a call in from Bevelle," Buddy hollered from the top of the engine room. "I can take over for you in here if you want."  
  
"Thanks, Buddy," Rikku hollered back. She grabbed a relatively clean rag and dashed off to the elevator, wiping her hands and face.  
  
"RIKKU! Do not leave me just when we are in the midst of repair!!" Brother shouted, flapping his arms wildly.  
  
"Oh, just leave her be. She's got worse things to worry about than a busted airship," Buddy said as he picked up a screwdriver and dove into the repairs. "I guess we pushed the throttle on this baby a little too hard today," he added with what sounded like a chuckle.

* * *

"So that's the story, guys," Rikku was saying. "If everything we've heard so far is true, we could expect more incidents like what happened today, maybe even worse ones." To her right, Shinra nodded in silent agreement as he toiled away at his workbench/junk pile. The Water Crystal, still set in its fingerless silver glove, sat beneath a plethora of instrumentation and scanners that Shinra had adapted or designed himself. He had descended on it the moment the Gullwings had returned to the ship, and was determined to find out as much as he could about it.  
  
"This isn't good," said Nooj. "If this gets out of hand in a hurry, it's going to make dealing with Shuyin seem like a walk in the park. Is there any way to verify where the other crystals might be?"  
  
"I'm already working on it," Shinra piped up. "So far, I'm picking up waves from the crystal that are very similar to Sphere waves, but these have a very distinct frequency unlike any I've seen before. If I can patch the frequency through our detection equipment, we might be able to scan for matches just like when we go on Sphere hunts."  
  
"So I guess once we get a lock on something, we'll get moving and try to get to the crystals before this Malar jerk does," Rikku added. "That's about the best we can do at the moment; we'd be able to get a jump on things if the Celsius wasn't stalled out."  
  
"Well, well, so even Cid's little girl has to deal with the occasional rusty bolt now and again, huh?" Gippal drawled. Rikku sighed and rolled her eyes. _I should've known Gippal couldn't stay serious for long, even in a crisis._  
  
"It's been a long day, Gippal, so I'm going to forget you said that," Rikku said in a sweet-laced-with-danger voice. "We wouldn't even be stalled out if Brother had paid more attention to ship's maintenance."  
  
"Hey, I understand. Believe me, I've been up to my hair in breakdowns out in Bikanel lately," Gippal replied. "Nhadala's been sending reports about jammed servos and intake valves every other day, so I know how irritated you must be right now."  
  
"Well, you have to cope with sandstorms, Gippal."  
  
"And you have to cope with Brother," he quipped with a smirk on his face. The comment caught Rikku off guard and she started giggling.  
  
"Hey, watch it!" she said, trying to look serious but not succeeding.  
  
"The important thing is, now we have an idea of what may be going on and a possible means to deal with it," Nooj interrupted. "Plus, we've started to get reports in from the troops we sent out that they can't get into the Thunder Plains; something or someone appears to have walled off the entire area. The captain in charge says there's a translucent purple haze between the Plains and the edge of Macalania Woods, and no one has been able to get through it."  
  
"A force field?" Rikku asked, the smile fading on her face.  
  
"Something like that," Nooj replied. "However, they also report very little fiend activity around this field, no attacks or anything. They're setting up a garrison to keep watch on the Plains, just to make sure nothing goes awry. It could be that this Malar person is planning something big, or it could be a fortification issue; either way, as long as we can't get in there's not much we can do."  
  
"I guess not........" Rikku muttered, twiddling her thumbs. "I'll talk to the others, see if we can't get this ship fixed and in the skies by morning. Keep us posted, okay?"  
  
"You got it, kiddo," Gippal said with a wave. "Hey, is Baralai there? I wanted to talk to him."  
  
"Ummmmm......I'm not really sure where he is right now. I think Yunie and Tidus said they wanted to spend the night in the village, but I'm not sure about Baralai." Rikku paused. "Come to think of it, I don't know where Paine is either......."  
  
"Well, it wasn't that important," Gippal shrugged. "You've pretty much told us what we need to know, anyway. We'll keep a lookout for anything strange on this end; you just do what you gotta do."  
  
"You got it," said Rikku as she rose from the comm desk.  
  
"Oh, and hey, Rikku....."  
  
She turned around. "Yeah?" Gippal ran a hand through his hair, started to say something and stopped, then looked up at her with the hint of a smile.  
  
"Be careful."

* * *

The moon rose high over Kilika that night. Lights shone in the windows of some of the huts as a few families shored up patched walls and doors. Down by Dona and Barthello's hut, a single lamp illuminated a small guest cottage Dona had had built several months ago. There wasn't much inside save a table and a bed that also served as a sofa, but it was comfortable, with a long window facing out onto the ocean. Two figures stood at the window arm in arm, gazing out at the moonlight on the water.  
  
"I'd almost forgotten how beautiful Kilika is at night."  
  
Yuna looked up and smiled. "You're right, it is magnificent. And so peaceful......" She put her arm around Tidus' back and rested her head on his shoulder. "You'd never even know what was going on just a few hours ago."  
  
"I'm still amazed at how quickly things started getting repaired after the attack," Tidus said, slipping an arm around her waist. "I didn't think the villagers could rebound so soon."  
  
"They might have Dona to thank for that," Yuna replied with a bit of mirth in her voice. "Maybe some of that tough-as-nails demeanor is rubbing off on them."  
  
"She hasn't changed a bit since I first met her," Tidus chuckled. "I still wish she would've come to the ceremony, though."  
  
Yuna shrugged a bit. "She probably had her reasons for staying away- like Barthello. Or maybe something she figured 'only she could do'........" She trailed off, looking at the ripples that played across the ocean surface. The events of a few short hours ago played through her head; involuntarily she glanced down at her right hand. Even though she had removed the glove so Shinra could examine it, the crystal's coolness still lingered on the back of her hand. A reminder of what they had to look forward to. She flexed her fingers and bit her lower lip nervously.  
  
"Yuna.......you're trembling." He drew her closer to him and gently brushed a few hairs away from her eyes.  
  
"I..... I think it's finally sinking in," she said in a low voice. "What Naia told us...... what we're going to have to do...... I keep telling myself it'll be all right, I've faced worse...... but now I'm not so sure anymore. Every time it seems like the Calm is going to last, something comes up and messes everything up again............"  
  
Tidus nodded. "I don't think any of us was expecting this to crop up out of the blue. And I wish I could say it'll be a piece of cake, but I can't do that. I know it's going to be hard, and I know that whatever it takes, I'll be fighting every step of the way with you."  
  
"But why is it always me? This is the third time I've gotten caught up in something that threatened so many. Sin, Vegnagun, now Malar...... am I going to be doing this until I'm fifty??" She collapsed onto his chest, tears starting to flow from her eyes. "I'm turning into a danger magnet, Tidus......." she said in a choking voice.  
  
"Yuna, don't say that," he said softly as the two sat down on the cottage's bed. "You're not a danger magnet, this could have happened to anyone. One of the League troops could've found the crystal, or Dona. It just happened that we were there at the time." With his right hand he gently wiped her tears away.  
  
"It's not your fault, you shouldn't ever blame yourself for things beyond your control. Sometimes things just happen that way, and I'm not saying it's fair, but it's also not something you should worry about."  
  
Yuna looked up and sniffed a bit. "I just don't want to keep doing this for the rest of my life......"  
  
Tidus took her left hand in his right, lacing their fingers together. "I don't think you'll have to, Yuna. But a wise man told me you can't worry about the future years and years down the line. No one knows what's going to happen that far away, and it does you more harm than good to worry about it. But bad or good, one thing I can promise you...... I'll be here. Always."  
  
Yuna smiled a bit. "Even if something big does come up, like it is now?"  
  
"Even then. Like I told you a few months ago, in Zanarkand after I came back. The two of us- we've got to stick together."  
  
The smile on her face broadened as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling close to him. He hugged her, gently caressing the small of her back.  
  
"Don't worry about tomorrow, Yuna. Or anything after that. We'll see it through," Tidus whispered gently.  
  
"I won't worry," she replied, pulling away just enough to look into his eyes. "There's only one thing I want to think about right now," she added with a smile.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"You and me......." she whispered as she leaned towards him. Their lips touched, gently at first, then more passionately. She wrapped her right arm around his head, pulling him closer as they lay down together, seeking each other out.  
  
No spoken words passed between them, for none were needed. Entwined together, their hearts, minds and bodies moved as one. The pain and worries in their minds melted away, and for a moment, the world stood still. There was nothing else- no fiends, no crises, nothing. Just the two of them locked in a newlyweds' embrace.  
  
Only three words did pass their lips, whispered to each other as the moon rose higher in the sky.  
  
"I love you."

* * *

Watching that very same moon, Paine stood on the outer deck of the Celsius, arms folded and leaning against the seagull mounted at the front of the ship. _So once again, the world is in crisis and it's up to us to save it, is that it?_ she thought to herself. _Come to think of it, I'm not really surprised. Things just seemed to be going too well for it to last very long. Then again......_ She paused and looked up at the stars. _Maybe I've grown accustomed to things like this. It's like if I'm not fighting, I'm not really proving my existence....... But is that really all there is?_  
  
A sharp twinge passed across her forehead. She pinched her eyes shut and rubbed a spot just next to her left eye. _Must've been pushing myself too hard earlier,_ she thought as she massaged her temples.  
  
"Headache?"  
  
Paine glanced up and saw Baralai walking towards her. "You could get hurt, sneaking up on a girl like that," she said with a barely perceptible smirk on her face. "When did you come up here?"  
  
"I was sitting towards the back of the ship when you came out. You looked like something was on your mind, so I didn't want to bother you at first."  
  
Paine nodded. "Just had to get some air and get away from Rikku for a bit," she said, this time laughing a bit. "What about you?"  
  
"About the same. Just pondering stuff." Baralai reached up and adjusted his blue headband. For a few moments there was silence between the two.  
  
"Baralai......"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I didn't mean to snap at you earlier, during the fight. But you practically scared me to death, jumping in the way of those fiends like you did." Paine let her arms fall to her side. "The way they dug into you..... I thought......well, I thought I was going to lose one of the best friends I've ever had."  
  
"That's.....kinda what was running through my mind when I saw them closing in on you," said Baralai. "For a moment there, I saw the chance they might kill you..... And then my body acted on its own."  
  
The two of them just stood there for a long moment, not saying anything. They just looked at each other, unspoken words passing from her eyes to his, and back again.  
  
"You know......I guess I never did thank you properly for helping me out." Paine stepped forward, hesitated a moment, then leaned in and kissed Baralai on the cheek. "You always were the one in the Crimson Squad I could relate to best. I don't think I ever told you that....."  
  
"You didn't have to. I knew," Baralai responded. "You know something? I don't think I ever properly thanked you, now that I think about it."  
  
"Thank me? For what?"  
  
"The Vegnagun incident..... When I was possessed by Shuyin. You found a way to get me and the others back in one piece....and for that, I never thanked you properly." Baralai stepped forward and put his arms around her, drawing her into a gentle hug.  
  
"Baralai...... Yuna was the one who freed you from Shuyin's control. I was just....there."  
  
"That's just it. You were there. Yuna may have been able to draw him out, but my mind was almost entirely sealed by his presence. I needed something familiar, something I recognized, to nudge me awake again. And you were there. You helped me to wake up." Paine didn't say anything, but put her arms around Baralai's waist and returned the hug. She leaned her head against his shoulder and the two just stood there, holding on to each other and not wanting to let go.

* * *

"GULLWIIIINGS!! To the bridge!!"  
  
The call reverberated through the corridors of the airship with that familiar ring the others had grown to loathe. The repairs complete, Brother had spent the morning scrambling around, finding everyone and getting them back on board the Celsius. Shinra had succeeded in rigging up a Crystal scanner in conjunction with the Sphere scanner, but so far nothing had registered.  
  
"Any idea why we haven't picked anything up on that scanner yet?" asked Buddy as he gave the ship an extra kick of power.  
  
Shinra shrugged. "I'm just a kid. Maybe it needs time to warm up."  
  
Baralai made it to the bridge first, followed by Paine and Rikku. "We should be getting close to Bevelle very soon," Brother declared. "Once we drop off the Praetor, the Gullwings will move out to begin Operation: Crystal Chase!!!"  
  
"Does he always come up with corny names like that?" Baralai asked. Rikku said nothing.  
  
"Good luck dealing with the faithful, Baralai," said Paine, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I think I'd rather be facing the fiends with all of you," he responded light-heartedly, eliciting a smile from Paine.  
  
"I know, but you can't avoid your duties to the Council. Don't worry; we'll be all right."  
  
"You promise?" Baralai asked, knitting his brow. Paine nodded. "I promise."  
  
"All set to go, Brother?" Yuna called out as she and Tidus entered the bridge.  
  
"Rogerrrrrr!!!" Brother responded, jumping into the control seat. Paine glanced over at Rikku and noticed that not only hadn't she said much that morning, she looked pretty embarrassed. Curiosity was not one of Paine's strong suits, but this was too odd for her.  
  
"Hey Rikku, what's with the silent act?" she asked in a low voice as she approached. "This isn't really like you."  
  
Rikku turned around, her face rather red. "Well..... Um.... It's not that big a deal, Paine, really. Not even worth talking about!" She laughed nervously, then sighed as she realized Paine wasn't going to fall for it. "Ooooohhhh..... Look, promise me you won't tell anyone, ok?" she whispered.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Well...... Brother had me go down to the village to get Yunie and Tidus this morning......and... well...."  
  
Paine sighed and a smirk emerged on her face. "You caught them still asleep, didn't you."  
  
Rikku's face went even redder. "I feel like such an idiot!!!" she said as quietly as possible. "I mean, I got out of the hut before they realized I'd come in, but I hadn't even thought twice beforehand!" She started slapping herself on the forehead. "Tisso, tisso, tisso!!" she muttered quietly.  
  
[Translation: Dummy, dummy, dummy!!]  
  
"Well, just so long as you don't make the same mistake twice," Paine said. "Now get with it and let's focus on the mission at hand, okay?" Rikku looked up and nodded. "Good, because if you don't keep your mind on things today, especially if we're in a combat scenario, I might not keep my mind on not telling Yuna." She flashed a now wide-eyed Rikku a grin and headed to the other side of the bridge.  
  
"Ohhh, you.......Oui pek sayhea!" Rikku muttered, sticking her tongue out at Paine.  
  
[Translation: You big meanie!]  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
[A/N: This chapter was probably one of my hardest to date. It's sort of a fluff chapter, I'll admit, but I can't write combat scenes for every single chapter. Plus, I challenge you to find an FF game that doesn't have scenes like these in the game. I tried not to have certain sections of this chapter turn into lemon fanfic stuff; for the most part I prefer to keep things tasteful if at all possible. I leave the vague details up to everyone else's demented imaginations. Stay tuned for the next installment; the Gullwings pick up the trail of another Crystal!] 


	7. Power Awakening

[A/N: Sorry for the slight delay, but life happens sometimes. I can't thank you all enough for the support you've given this endeavor. I guess I must be doing something right, eh? As has been mentioned before, I own nothing. Square Enix owns everything. On with the show.]  
  
Chapter 7: Power Awakening  
  
The wreckage of the Plains Agency seemed to be overwhelmed with fiends as thunder echoed across the landscape. They were quite literally crawling out of the woodwork, creeping and scuttling across the shattered land as if beckoned by an undeniable urge. There was no time for territorial disputes; fiends that had normally stayed far from one another now traveled side by side. At the top of the broken agency roof, a violet glow was pulsing like a heartbeat, pulsing from the extended right hand of Malar. The wind tossed his black hair about his face and his mouth was set in a cruel sneer. He watched as more and more fiends approached, only to stop and genuflect before him. To his right stood the Gigas that had first approached him many days ago; the beast had since grown taller, its claws and muscles more defined, and fire seemed ready to leap from its eyes.  
  
"They will do for a start," Malar said, gazing at the motley assortment before him. "Do you not think so, Neogas?"  
  
The beast next to him nodded. "As you say.... Master."  
  
Malar's smirk twitched a bit. _How satisfying it is, to be able to speak with one's own creations,_ he mused to himself. _Still, I had best not make such an..... adjustment with my eventual masterpiece. That would prove most unwise......._ He lowered his right hand and concentrated, a flash of anger suddenly crossing his brow. _But before I begin, I must ascertain where the remaining crystals are. I cannot risk them all awakening before my preparations are complete. And then......_ The gem set in his palm intensified in its glow.

* * *

"I've got something!" Buddy announced. "Sensors are picking up a reading that matches the crystal we found." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; they had been airborne for over an hour after dropping Baralai off and nothing had turned up. They had taken the long way across Spira, trying to avoid the Thunder Plains for the moment; not only was there a chance the purple miasma surrounding it might damage the Celsius, they were in no condition to face who or what might be within just yet.  
  
"Where is it?" Yuna asked, sliding the Water crystal over her right hand and fixing the glove in place.  
  
"Looks like it's located somewhere along the Mi'ihen Highroad."  
  
"Somewhere is a pretty vague term, Buddy," said Tidus, looking up from resetting his Grid. "Can't you nail it down a bit?"  
  
"Not really," Buddy replied. "Looks like the waves are in flux, some kind of distortion. Best I can get is that it's North of the Highroad Travel Agency."  
  
"Distortion? Could mean it's underground," said Paine as she gave her sword one last sweep with a whetstone.  
  
"Oh, that's just great! Then it's probably located in that icky colony of bugs!!" said Rikku, a disgusted look on her face. "I'd better make sure we've got some explosives on hand if that's the case."  
  
"Assuming the entrance hole hasn't been sealed over," said Yuna. "Rin might have had it blocked off to keep fiends away from travelers; if he did, this might be tougher than we'd expect."  
  
"Even so, it sounds like that's as good a place to start as any," Tidus said as he locked his last sphere into place and stood up. "Where's the closest place we can land?"  
  
"I think we might be able to pull in by the Travel Agency if we're careful," said Yuna. "That ledge by the corral should be wide enough for us to disembark."  
  
"Hold it!!!" Everyone turned and looked at Brother with an exasperated air. "As Captain, I decide where we are landing my ship!!" Rikku groaned. Paine lifted an eyebrow. Yuna put a hand to her forehead and Tidus crossed his arms and looked at Brother tiredly.  
  
"And.... I say, full speed to the Travel Agency!!" He turned around and jumped back into the control seat.  
  
"Never fails," muttered Paine.

* * *

As the weather was getting colder, travel on the Highroad was sparse. Several Hovers had been put into storage to save on maintenance costs, and only a few Chocobos were kept on site. The trees and bushes had begun to show their magnificent fall plumage, but the Gullwings hardly noticed this as they descended the airship's access ramp. The thing they noticed first was a young woman in green running towards them from the Agency.  
  
"Lady Yuna!! What an incredible coincidence, I was just talking about you with a friend!" Shelinda gushed, an excited smile on her face. "We were just mentioning your epic battle with that ancient Machina weapon, that must have been terribly exciting! Oh, it's sooooo good to see you all again; are you doing well?"  
  
"Um... yes, of course! I'm doing just fine," Yuna stammered. "And you?"  
  
"Never better!" Shelinda replied cheerfully. "Actually, I'm on vacation at the moment; there's not too much news going on in Luca these days, and what there is, the other reporters have it covered."  
  
"Oh, I see." Yuna breathed a silent sigh of relief. _The last thing we need right now is another interview, she really put us all through the wringer when Tidus came back....  
_  
"Although I did hear something strange recently....." Shelinda leaned in close and whispered. "They say that just the other day, Kilika got assaulted by some fiends no one had ever seen before! Did you know that?"  
  
"Well..... We, uh, kinda heard about that; good thing the League got it contained, right Yunie?" Rikku interjected, throwing a wink towards Yuna. Yuna nodded in return, hoping that they could avoid being caught in another savior hoopla. _Maybe she hasn't heard we were involved yet; we can't afford to spread this around at the moment...._  
  
"But that's really weird, isn't it? You'd think that most fiends had been catalogued by now...." Shelinda continued. "Then again, I guess stranger things have happened, right?"  
  
"Look, I hate to break things up here, but we're in kind of a hurry right now," Paine said as she stepped forward. "We can talk some other time, all right?"  
  
"Oh! Another sphere hunt then, Lady Yuna?"  
  
"Well..... something like that, yes."  
  
"Well then, I guess I shouldn't keep you too long, but when you do have a chance....."  
  
"We'll talk again when we have a moment," said Tidus. "This really is a time-sensitive issue, we can't stay long."  
  
"I understand, Sir Tidus," she replied with a cheery smile. "Say, would you mind doing a follow-up with me at some point? People still want to hear about that reappearing act you did six months ago, and where you'd been all this time....."  
  
"Sorry Shelinda, we've got to go now!" Yuna said, grabbing Tidus and Rikku and starting up the North trail. Paine followed suit, leaving Shelinda standing outside the Agency in a confused stupor.  
  
"That was kinda rude, Yunie!" Rikku muttered as they rounded the bend and started up the narrow cliff pathway.  
  
"I know," Yuna responded, her face turning slightly scarlet. "Shelinda means well and all, but this is one time we really don't need her pressing into things like this."  
  
"Yeah, if word gets out of what we're up to, a lot of people are going to panic," said Tidus.  
  
"You've got a point there......" Rikku relented. "Hey- she didn't mention anything about the Thunder Plains, did she?"  
  
The group slowed down for a moment. "Come to think of it, she didn't," said Paine. "Though it's quite possible the Council is trying to keep it under wraps to prevent a mass panic; that would make sense. They did the same thing during the Vegnagun incident- the network didn't hear the whole story until after we'd finished it off."  
  
Just then a loud explosion erupted from the valley to their left, rocking the cliffs and causing all four to fall to the ground. Scrambling to her feet, Rikku dashed to the side of the path and peered down. "Kuut kneav!!!" she exclaimed. "There's gargantuan Fire Flans all over the valley floor!!"  
  
[Translation: Good grief!!!]  
  
"That's down where the cave is!" cried Yuna as she jumped to her feet and pulled both guns from her belt. "We'd better get down there fast, before......"  
  
A massive crash echoed across the valley as two enormous Flans simultaneously slammed into the cliff wall. Parts of the path crumbled away, causing Rikku to lose her footing and stumble over the edge. She shrieked and twisted in midair, plunging both daggers into the ground above. Mercifully, the daggers held and she clung to the side of the cliff for dear life.  
  
"Rikku, hold on!!" Yuna and Tidus scrambled to the cliff edge, each grabbing one of Rikku's arms and pulling up. Paine stepped in and grabbed hold of each arm, but just as she was about to add her muscle to the effort, another Flan collided with the cliff wall with unprecedented force. The ground beneath Yuna's boots gave way, followed rapidly by the harder rock face cracking and crumbling around Rikku's daggers. With a shuddering rumble, the edge of the cliff gave way and sent all four Gullwings plummeting to the valley below.

* * *

"...................Owie."  
  
Rikku took a few shallow breaths, then a deeper one. _Doesn't feel like I broke anything....._ Her eyes snapped open; remembering they had just fallen into a valley full of fiends, she jerked herself to her feet and scrambled up to the rock face they had collapsed beside. Yuna and Tidus were helping each other to their feet, while Paine had lifted herself onto her knees and appeared to be clutching her head. All of them were covered in bruises, and rivulets of blood were dripping from gashes on Tidus' forehead and Paine's arm. If that wasn't bad enough, the 15-foot high Flan Rojos infesting the valley were approaching them from all sides.  
  
Rikku punched a sphere on her Grid and assumed one of her favorite forms, Alchemist. "This oughta help, guys!" she cried as she quickly retrieved a prepared Mega-Potion and showered the group with healing energies. Paine sprang to her feet and readied her sword, while Tidus did the same. Yuna raised both guns, trying to cover as much area as possible.  
  
"Any ideas where to start?" Tidus muttered grimly.  
  
"I've never seen this many Flans in formation before....." said Yuna, worry evident in her voice. Fire was beginning to lick outwards from the gelatinous beasts.  
  
_Use my power, Lady Yuna.  
_  
Yuna's eyes widened. _That wasn't my imagination!_ she told herself, glancing at her right hand. The crystal was starting to emit a bright blue glow.  
  
At that moment, massive gouts of flame began to roll directly towards them. "Everybody down!!" Tidus shouted, raising his armored glove in front of his face. Rikku ducked, while Paine lowered her blade in front of her in a defensive stance. Yuna crouched and threw both hands up over her head.  
  
The glow in the crystal turned blue-white; a sudden rush of cool air enveloped the four, and just as the wall of fire was about to strike, a torrential wall of water erupted from the ground, colliding with the flames and showering the encroaching Flans. The fiends shrieked in pain and surprise, backing away from the Gullwings several paces. The cyclone of water slowly dissipated, leaving the four within unscathed. Gradually, they opened their eyes, a look of wonderment on their faces.  
  
"What was that??" Rikku asked incredulously.  
  
"I..... I heard a voice in my head- the crystal, I think..." Yuna stammered. "I don't know how, but I think I bought us some time!!"  
  
"Then we'd better make the most of it!" said Tidus, focusing eldritch forces of ice into his sword. Yuna nodded and punched a sphere on her own Grid, entering a swirl of light which ended in a series of dynamic explosions around her feet. She hadn't used the Songstress sphere very much since the final showdown with Shuyin, but she still carried it just in case. She twirled in the purple miniskirt and tapped her feet. "Let's get moving!" she called out, energies bursting out towards the others as her feet sped up into the familiar steps of the Jitterbug.  
  
Almost faster than the eye could follow, the Gullwings exploded in a flurry of motion. Tidus plunged his ice-augmented sword into the nearest Flan with blinding speed, whipped around and delivered the same to its neighbor. Rikku slammed several ingredients together, grinned, and hurled a Winter Storm grenade into the mix. Paine somersaulted to the other side of the group and began carving her way through the fiends with near- reckless abandon. One Flan broke away from the others and tried to make a beeline for Yuna, who promptly spun around and shoved her right hand forward. The crystal glowed bright blue and shot forth a massive barrage of ice shards that struck the Flan right across the midsection. The Flan screeched and collapsed, burbling into a puddle of goo and pyreflies.  
  
"These things aren't so tough now!" Rikku giggled, whirling around and shooting another Flan into nothingness. Next to her, Paine had finished off one and was barreling into another. Tidus smashed his third opponent into oblivion and turned to face the others- then noticed Yuna was trying to catch her breath and was shaking. "Yuna, are you okay??" he called out.  
  
"I'll be all right.... I think I just... overdid it a bit," she gasped. Tidus looked back to the fiends; several more had joined the ranks and were closing fast.  
  
_We've got to finish this fight now,_ he thought to himself as he activated his Grid. The mystic power and wisdom of the Orient washed over him as the energy of the Samurai sphere took hold. Stepping out of the light, he suddenly became aware of his appearance. The robe he was clad in was blue with white trim, there was no high collar, the left shoulder guard was silver and he wore a bronze helm capped with a crescent moon, but in all other respects he looked exactly like Auron. The thought had never crossed his mind any other time he had used the sphere, but now was not the time for speculation. Drawing his massive katana back, he dashed forward and swung in a wide arc. "SHIN-ZANTETSU!!!!" The blade flashed across the battlefield, scoring gash marks across the encroaching fiends. Seconds later, each and every one collapsed and dissolved into thin air.  
  
"Yunie!" Rikku was dashing over to Yuna's side just as Tidus was helping her to her feet. "Good thing I had one of these saved for emergencies." She produced an Elixir and pushed it into Yuna's hands. "And don't say you're going to be all right, you look terrible!"  
  
Yuna nodded and gulped the potion down, then took a deep breath as the color returned to her cheeks. "I think I'm going to have to practice with the crystal a bit; when I saw that Flan charging I just threw everything I could into it," she said. "It felt like I'd used up all my magical energy at once."  
  
"Next time, go easy on it," called Paine from her position across the valley. "Looks like the access tunnel is still open, you guys. We won't have to blast our way in."  
  
"That's some relief," said Tidus. "You feeling all right now, Yuna?"  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine," she replied with a smile. "Just give me a moment here...." Light twirled around her as she switched Dresspheres and emerged in her purple Gun Mage dress. "Okay, I'm ready now."

* * *

The corridors of the subterranean maze held no real surprises for most of the Gullwings. On their first venture within months before, Rikku had had the sense of mind to map out the passageways they had found, so it was a simple matter to negotiate their way around. Loose soil and rocks had been molded into new walls by the insectoid residents of the cavern, but these were quickly dispatched with the explosives the group had packed.  
  
"How many of those bugs do you think are in here?" Tidus asked.  
  
"I'm not sure; we took care of an awful lot the last time we were here," Yuna replied.  
  
Strangely enough, as they progressed further into the caverns there appeared to be little or no signs of an attack. Once or twice Yuna looked over her shoulder in response to a noise, but nothing was there. Not even a scanning picked up any signs of fiend infestation. Each progressive step produced no reaction except the hollow echoes along the walls. Along the ground were strange scuttle marks, indicating something had been that way previously. But wherever the occupants had been in the past, they weren't there now.  
  
"Do you suppose the climate got too cold for the bugs?" Paine mused. "Maybe they burrowed further into the ground to keep from freezing."  
  
"Maybe we trounced 'em so badly last time they didn't want to stick around!!" said Rikku.  
  
"Or maybe they're waiting for us, and we're walking right into a trap....." Yuna stopped as soon as she said that. Something on her scanner was flashing. She hefted the gun up and to her right. "There's something just beyond that wall. Can't make out for sure what it is, though."  
  
"Yunie.... You weren't serious about there being a trap, were you?" Rikku asked in a small voice.  
  
"I don't know, but right now we'd better find out what's beyond this wall." Yuna reached into her equipment bag and produced one of their higher-rating explosives. "I only hope this is enough to knock it down," she said as she jammed the bomb into a crack in the wall. Pulling the detonator cord, she and the others sprinted across to the far wall.  
  
The charge tore the rock to pieces with a thundering report that threatened to deafen each of them. As the smoke cleared, it was apparent the bomb had done the trick. A seven-foot high hole gaped in the wall, and the sensor on Yuna's gun began beeping faster. A scintillating green aura shone deep in the cavern beyond the blast zone.  
  
"Don't look now, but I think we may have hit the jackpot," Tidus said, the excitement evident in his voice.  
  
"Let's see what it is first before we celebrate," said Paine as she started towards the hole in the rock. She got no more than three steps before a massive set of forelimbs thrust forth from the cavern, breaking the wall apart even further. Chunks of rock showered everybody as the unmistakable form of the King Vermin emerged from his hiding place. Time had done nothing to diminish his ferocity; the great insect patriarch was wrapped in a sheath of flame and venom dripped from his gaping maw. Before anyone could react, the massive fiend charged forward and slashed Paine across the face and shoulder, then dove into the others with a massive backhand that knocked them across the ground.  
  
"Paine!!" Yuna shouted as she scrambled to her feet. "Are you all right?"  
  
"It's just a scratch; don't worry about me!" Paine responded. Glaring at the vermin, she activated her Grid and discarded her sword for the claws and blue body paint of a Berserker, then lunged directly at the beast's underbelly, tearing a massive gash in its exoskeleton. Yuna twisted a knob on her gun and pulled the trigger, producing a powerful White Wind aura that washed over all four of them and sealed their wounds. Tidus dove at the great insect, feinting to one side and slashing upwards, tearing through the sinews of one of its leg joints. The creature roared and began spewing fire in all directions, burning everyone in its reach. Instinctively, Yuna thrust her right hand forward again; the crystal glowed and another shield of water formed around her and the others, extinguishing the flames. "I think this is going to be harder than I thought!" Rikku yelled as she tossed an Icefall bomb at the bug. The bomb exploded in a flurry of ice crystals and caused the fiend to growl in pain, but did little besides.  
  
Tidus punched the next sphere on his Grid, which happened to be Gunner, and emerged from the transformation sequence with both guns blazing. "Everyone shield your eyes!!" Yuna cried; she twisted another knob on her gun and activated a Storm Cannon round. The bolt of energy screeched out of her weapon and exploded in mid-air, showering the great insect with eldritch forces and shrapnel. The creature roared and began swiping at anyone it could reach, gouging Tidus across the abdomen and tearing a wicked gash along Yuna's leg. Rikku shrieked and began mixing the ingredients for a Mega-Potion when she saw the beast's claw descending towards her. She flinched and tensed up in preparation for the impact, when all at once Paine jumped between her and the fiend, grabbed the claw in both arms and twisted it around with a sickening crack. The beast squealed in agony; without wasting another moment Paine dashed forward, leaped up onto the vermin's back and began tearing at its neck and thorax with both hands.  
  
Seconds later, Rikku's Mega-Potion had done the trick. Tidus slammed a clip of armor-piercing rounds into his guns and dashed forward, firing at the King Vermin while jumping aside from the oncoming claws. Rikku took careful aim with her gun and fired a round directly at an exposed spot on the fiend's neck, causing it to rear back even more and spew even more flames at the party. "How much longer is this going to take??" she groaned as she began to mix another Icefall bomb, but stopped as she saw Yuna lifting her right hand up again. The crystal was glowing blue-white again, and her brow was knitted in grim determination. "Yunie, are you crazy?? You're gonna knock yourself out again!" Rikku yelled.  
  
"It's all right, I think I can control it now," was Yuna's reply. The glow around her hand grew brighter still, emitting a high-pitched tone that caused the vermin to pause in its struggles and stare. Paine, who was in the midst of trying to break another of its legs, quickly backflipped away from the beast, while Tidus dashed back to Yuna's side, reloading both his guns.  
  
With a cry that sounded like a chorus of angels, a beam of blue light burst forth from the crystal, striking the vermin lord with incredible force. The fiend shrieked in agony as its limbs became coated with ice, binding it to the ground around it, but the beam did not stop. Instead it narrowed, focusing on a point on the fiend's thorax, pounding away until the fiend's armor gave way and the light pierced through its body. Letting loose one final hideous screech, the great vermin collapsed under its own weight, clouds of pyreflies pouring forth from its wounds. It wasn't long before it had dissipated completely, leaving only scorch marks on the walls and floor to mark his presence.  
  
All was silent. Yuna took a deep breath, wobbling a little on her feet.  
  
"Now that was impressive," said Paine as she rejoined the group. "But that was also one hell of a risk, Yuna; with what that crystal did the first time you used it, I'm surprised you'd try it a second time."  
  
"I think it's because the first time, I wasn't sure what I was doing," said Yuna. "This time I tried to focus a little more, instead of giving it everything at once. A few more times, and I should be all right." She wiped the sweat from her brow and sighed.  
  
"Just so long as you don't push yourself too hard, okay?" said Tidus. Yuna looked up at him and nodded. "You got it," she replied with a smile.  
  
"C'mon, guys! I wanna see what's in that cave!" Rikku called, pointing to the hole from which a green light was still shining. Yuna and Tidus chuckled. "Be right there, Rikku!" they replied, stepping forward to join her. Paine sighed and followed suit, wiping the blood from her clawed gloves.  
  
To Be Continued......  
  
[A/N: I had intended to continue the scene in this chapter a little further, but I felt it would be better to save it for the next chapter. I don't know how often I'll be able to post upcoming chapters; other obligations are cropping up here and there, but hopefully I'll be able to produce a chapter a week. Hope you liked this installation; more to come! - Neon Ronin] 


	8. Out of the Frying Pan

[A/N: Insert usual disclaimer here re: Square Enix. Thanks go out to everybody who's reviewed my work so far. Recap of spheres in use last session: Yuna- Gun Mage. Tidus- Gunner. Rikku- Alchemist. Paine- Berserker. Showtime. ]  
  
Chapter 8: Out Of The Frying Pan......  
  
"Any success on calming the faithful down?"  
  
Baralai leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Enough so that there isn't risk of a riot, but there's still a lot of talking going on, Nooj. People are beginning to suspect there's something out there that we haven't told them-"  
  
"Which we still can't tell them about, not yet." Nooj drew in a long breath and adjusted his glasses. "Fiends and storms is one thing, but someone who is behind them both is another. It really chews me up that we have to keep this under wraps."  
  
"Yeah, but we both know the dangers of mob mentality as well." Baralai stood up and began pacing in the Council chamber. "I just wish we could get further into the Plains so that we could confirm the size of the threat here."  
  
"What I'm concerned with is how well Yuna and her cohorts are faring," Nooj replied. "I hope that ship of theirs is faster than this maniac's minions."  
  
"So, the Great High Summoner Yuna and her associates the Dullwings are off to save our collective derriere again, eh?" said a haughty and highly recognizable voice. Nooj smirked and turned to face the entrance.  
  
"It's not like they were planning to come out of retirement so soon, LeBlanc," he said as she sashayed into the room, flourishing her ever- present fan.  
  
"Oh, I knew they hadn't planned on this," she replied. "But it just seems soooo unfair; the moment they got wind of what was afoot, off they went without even a second thought- and without contacting ME!! The Great LeBlanc!!" She threw herself into a chair beside Nooj and brushed a hand up and down his right arm. "Don't you think they should have offered me a piece of the action, dear Noojie-Woojie? After everything I did for them when they faced off against that ugly Vegnagun, after all?" She looked up at Nooj with a pleading puppy-dog look on her face that was so silly Baralai had to stifle a guffaw.  
  
"It just ain't fair!" bellowed Ormi as he and Logos entered the room. "Here's the boss, all ready to do her part, and those kids don't bother ta call and ask for help!!"  
  
"Perhaps they had forgotten what little manners they have left," Logos mused.  
  
"Or perhaps they're trying to make sure no one else gets hurt in the process," Baralai piped up. "I don't suppose you considered that, did you? Do you know how many times they've put themselves on the line for the good of other people, especially Yuna? She's put the welfare of others before her own happiness so many times it's baffling. She was willing to die to vanquish Sin, she and her friends put themselves in jeopardy during the Vegnagun incident, and now that they're putting other people's safety- including your own- before theirs, once again, you think that's considered bad manners?"  
  
Nooj stared at him. _I've never heard Baralai snap at others like that,_ he thought to himself. _But he is right. LeBlanc certainly can hold her own in a fight, but they wouldn't want to risk more people- that's not how the Gullwings work._ Logos was glaring at Baralai, while Ormi just stood there with his mouth open.  
  
"Well...... even so," LeBlanc began, "it still isn't right that she should go running off without even bothering to ask. That girl may be tough, but she'd be even tougher with me and the boys watching her back." She shot a quick glance to Logos, who was smiling a bit. "YOU know what I mean, cretin."  
  
"I think it's all for the best if we let them do things their way, for the time being," said Nooj. "After all, there are four Gullwings now, rather than three."  
  
"Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten. That young warrior-Blitzer, what was his name again?"  
  
"I think it was Tie-dye or something like that, Boss..." boomed Ormi.  
  
Logos promptly slapped him on the back of his head. "Tidus, you insipid buffoon."  
  
"Yes, that's the one," LeBlanc said. "Say.... Wasn't there something special that happened between him and Yuna not long ago, Noojie? Some sort of...... ceremony, was it?" she purred, lightly toying her finger across Nooj's chest.  
  
Baralai saw Nooj visibly tense up and start stammering. _Noojster, you're gonna have to get around to it at some point, she's got her hooks in you now. Man, if only Gippal hadn't had to leave for Bikanel this morning; he'd love this....._ He held a hand up to his face and chuckled.

* * *

The chamber they had entered was covered with phosphorescent lichen, most of which had been crushed by the King Vermin or devoured during his tenure. What lichen remained gave off a surreal blue-green light, giving the walls a bizarre appearance of aquamarine tiger stripes. This was further accentuated by the ambient green aura that emanated from a spot in the middle of the floor. Cautiously at first, Rikku approached the source of the light and bent down to look closer. There was a section of floor that was clearly worked stone, a circular slab about a foot in diameter with a small hole in the center. Resting in the hole was a bright emerald lens-like crystal.  
  
"Did we get it?" Tidus asked, discarding his Gunner apparel for his usual clothes.  
  
"I think so; it kinda matches my eyes!" Rikku replied as she lifted the crystal out of the hole. It began to glow with greater intensity, prompting Rikku to put it back on the floor and step back a pace. A beam shot from the crystal up to the ceiling with an intense whine, causing everyone to shudder and cover their ears. The beam shrank and its edges warped, molding and shaping itself into the form of a man. His skin and eyes were brilliant emerald, what passed for hair on his head resembled waving grass, and he wore what appeared to be trousers molded from solid rock. A smile emerged on his face.  
  
"Welcome, wanderers," the man said. "Let me guess; the Immortal has broken free and it's time to go to work again, right?"  
  
Yuna nodded. "No beating around the bush for you, I guess."  
  
"You could say that," he replied, gazing at the four of them with a studious eye. "Ferro, Keeper of the Earth Crystal, at your service. And it looks as though you've already located Naia, so I won't need to tell you who we're up against."  
  
"Yep, she pretty much got us filled in on this Malar jerk a while ago," said Rikku. "The guy who can't die and can't be Sent, all that fun stuff."  
  
"Well, it's not like nobody tried. The problem is the source of his power, whatever it was he tapped to gain a hold over Chaos magic," Ferro replied. "We never found out what it was, exactly, when we fought him last. So we settled for sealing him away, which we hoped would be sufficient...."  
  
"But it wasn't enough the first time," said Paine. "Which is why we're going to have to do it again."  
  
"Exactly." Ferro looked at them all again. "Hmmmmm. I sense great determination from all of you- loyalty, perseverance, all solid qualities- but only one of you can gain my powers." He furrowed his brow, his eyes glowed brighter and look like they might burn a hole through somebody. Rikku shivered involuntarily.  
  
"Ah-ha. I see it now. The perfect match- direct, to the point, pure dedication. A born warrior."  
  
Ferro turned and faced Tidus directly. "Will you accept my power?"  
  
Tidus shrugged and thrust his right hand forward. "Let's get to work!"  
  
Ferro chuckled slightly. "A bit on the blunt side- but I like that," he said as his form became indistinct. The light became a series of tendrils, just as before with Naia, pulling the crystal off the ground and bringing it to the back of Tidus' hand. A quick flash of light, and the crystal was joined with the black glove he always wore, along with what appeared to be emerald knuckle studs.  
  
Suddenly the ground and the cavern walls began shaking, as a sound akin to thunder rumbled along the rock. "What's going on? Is it an earthquake?" Rikku stammered. The rumbling occurred again, and this time repeated in a set rhythm. Dirt and rocks began to shake loose from the ceiling.  
  
"That's no earthquake, something's pounding the ground above us!" Yuna shouted as a stalactite crashed to the ground no less than three feet away. "We'd better get out fast, or we're going to be buried alive!!" She grabbed Tidus' hand and made a dash for the main cavern passages, with Rikku and Paine hot on their heels. No sooner had they extracted themselves from the cave room, when the room's ceiling collapsed inward, ejecting rocks, dust and mangled lichen in all directions. The tremors were getting steadily worse, with a definite rhythm that was getting faster by the second.  
  
Cracks began to shoot along the cave walls as the Gullwings threaded themselves through the cavern, dodging rocks and falling debris as best they could. Paine lunged to the front of the party, pounding towards the exit tunnel at breakneck speed. Suddenly, the cave floor in front of her heaved upwards as a lone Hug Bug breached the surface, a look of disorientation on its insectoid face. "We've got no time for this!!" Paine shouted, spinning in a complete circle and slamming the bug across the cavern with a spinning backfist. The vermin gave a mangled whine and passed out, leaving the four to make a rapid escape. They sprinted as fast as possible, only slowing down to negotiate a turn or a rock in the road. Yuna was unavoidably reminded of the dream she had once had, where she had been in Lenne's place running for her life in the Bevelle underground. But this was no dream, and it was no mere armed squad that was after them.  
  
All at once, her foot jammed into a short chasm in the ground and she toppled forward, pulling Tidus down alongside her. Rikku, who was paying too much attention to her map of the cavern, couldn't stop in time and crashed right into both of them. Paine skidded to a halt and turned back. "Are you okay?" she asked in rushed tones as she grabbed Rikku and hauled her up. Just then a massive cracking came from directly over their heads. Everybody looked up as a monolithic slab of stone broke free from the ceiling and began to descend on top of them. Rikku screamed. Paine slammed her eyes shut and braced herself. Yuna threw her arms around Tidus and held on for dear life. Tidus threw his left arm around Yuna's shoulders and at the last second, shoved his right hand up in the air.

* * *

"Are we.....dead?"  
  
There was no answer to Rikku's question. All was silent.  
  
"Doesn't feel like it......" said Paine.  
  
The two of them opened their eyes a crack, then wider.  
  
The rock was hanging menacingly above their heads, not moving, not breaking apart, just hanging there. It took a moment for them to notice there had been no crash and that there was apparently nothing supporting the slab. Then they noticed the green glow that was shining off to their side. The crystal on Tidus' extended hand was shining with a vengeance, almost touching the slab above their heads. A look of grim determination was set in his jaw line and sweat was starting to run down his temples. A closer look would have revealed a network of fine emerald lines extending from the crystal, across the entire surface of the monolith.  
  
Yuna looked up at him in amazement. "You..... You did it! You tapped into the crystal's power just in time!" She tightened her arms around him and breathed a sigh of relief. "You saved us..."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't be a very good Guardian if I didn't figure something out," he replied, a smirk toying across his face. Yuna giggled.  
  
"Right now, I think we'd better get out of here." He gritted his teeth together and made a short, sharp gesture with his right hand. The slab slowly but surely floated away from their heads, descending at a diagonal until it came to rest on the ground behind them. He dropped his hand and sank to one knee, the crystal's light fading. Yuna promptly dove into her equipment pouch and produced an X-Potion before Rikku even had a chance to dig one of hers out. She snapped the cap off and put it to his lips. Shudders began to echo through the cavern once again, and they were on their feet and sprinting forward almost before Tidus had a chance to finish downing the potion.  
  
As they rounded another corner, the tremors began to intensify just as they caught a glimpse of daylight at the far end of the passage. More rocks started to fall from above, creating a roadblock and forcing the Gullwings to slow their pace. Rikku yanked a low-grade explosive out of her satchel and hurled it towards the rubble; the burst shoved most of the rocks aside and enabled them to pick up the pace. Soon only a dozen yards separated them from the tunnel entrance, but just as they were about to reach the surface, the tremors ceased and a horde of black shadows began descending into the cavern in front of them. The lighting difference obscured their physical forms at first, but once inside it became painfully clear what they were.  
  
"Wrathfangs!!!" shouted Paine. "And I'll bet you anything those tremors were their doing!"  
  
A voice crackled over their headset radios. "This is Brother! The valley along the Highroad is ripped to shreds; it looks like those fiends have been jumping around on the cliffs even more than Rikku!!"  
  
"This is not the time for jokes, Brother!" Rikku grumbled. "Those things are coming into the tunnels pretty fast; they were probably trying to turn us to jelly by collapsing the cave on us!"  
  
"Brother, get Shinra to fix the transporter onto our signals and get us out of here!" yelled Tidus.  
  
"Not possible; that cave is too far down to get a lock! You're lucky the radios are reaching down there!"  
  
"Ur, knayd! HUF fryd yna fa kuehk du tu???" Rikku lamented.  
  
[Translation: Oh, great! NOW what are we going to do???]  
  
"We do it the hard way," growled Paine, fire seething in her eyes as she let the primal nature of the Berserker sphere take hold. She raked her claws against each other, snarled and leaped into the fray. She rolled right between the legs of one Wrathfang, skidded to a halt in front of the one behind it and jumped up, gouging massive furrows into its chest. Yuna took two steps forward, then twisted a knob on her gun and let loose the fury of a Heaven's Cataract charge, tearing the fiends' armor to bits. Rikku produced a Chocobo Wing from her satchel and snapped it, feeling the adrenaline surge through her veins. Tidus charged forward and began swinging Caladbolg with a passion that was only outdone by the speed of Paine's claws. The Wrathfangs regrouped and began surging towards the four with renewed zeal, blue flames leaping forth from their draconic maws.....

* * *

"Gullwings, come in!" Brother shouted into his transceiver. "Rikku! Yuna! Anybody, are you there?" He paced back and forth frantically, occasionally dashing to the front of the cockpit and staring down at the Highroad. The radio had gone static seconds after his last transmission- no screams, no return messages, nothing at all. With the fiends all descending below ground, the valley had gone deathly silent. Shinra tapped at his workbench nervously while Brother continued to try and hail the team. Buddy stayed in his control chair, not saying anything but staring ahead blankly. His eyes were unreadable behind his goggles.  
  
"Gullwings, do you copy?!?" Static was the only response. "Tysh ed, cusaputo yhcfan sa!!"  
  
[Translation: Damn it, somebody answer me!!]  
  
A low thud echoed from the valley below. Brother dashed to the front and stared down; a cloud of dirt and smoke was rising up from the approximate position of the cave entrance. He gasped and dropped to his knees, his eyes never leaving that one spot. "No..... this cannot be!" he moaned. "GULLWIIIINGS!! RESPOND!!!" he bellowed into his transceiver.  
  
A slight crackle in his earpiece caused him to jerk his head up. Shinra and Buddy turned in their seats towards him.  
  
"...... This is Yuna. Sorry about the delay, Brother, but things got a little hairy in here. All our radios got knocked out when the fiends stormed the cave." Brother hardly heard most of what she said; he was too busy whooping and flapping his arms with joy.  
  
"Then you are all okay? Excellent!!" he crowed.  
  
"We'll be on the surface in a moment. Get the transport ready." There was a pause over the radio. "And you'd better get some first aid equipment ready too......"

* * *

"Look, I'm not saying it wasn't a good idea, Rikku. I just don't think you should have flung the entire bomb satchel at them."  
  
"Okay, so I panicked! It was the best thing I could think of to get them at once, Paine, I just forgot how many of those charges I brought!"  
  
It was drawing towards dusk. The Celsius had landed in Luca for the evening to resupply with fuel and medical equipment. The Gullwings had returned to the ship covered in contusions and lacerations, along with trace burns on various parts of the body. Rikku had tried desperately to close their wounds by donning the form of a White Mage, but she was far less experienced at healing than Yuna and consequently did little to help. Barkeep had scrounged what potions he had left, but it wasn't much.  
  
The four of them sat at the table in the main cabin, eating one of Buddy's latest excuses for food. No one seemed to mind that it wasn't a taste explosion, it was hot and there was plenty to go around.  
  
"Personally, I'm just glad I didn't get flash-blinded when that package went off," Paine said, rubbing the bandages on her left forearm.  
  
"I don't think I can recall a bigger blast that wasn't produced by magic," quipped Tidus, chuckling a bit and then wincing. "In all honesty, though, I probably would've done the same thing; that horde was getting too thick for us to take out one at a time."  
  
"Yeah, we were doing pretty well at first, but when they started surrounding us it got out of control," said Yuna.  
  
"I thought it was going to be over in five seconds once you started using the crystal again, Yunie."  
  
Yuna shook her head. "It took a bunch of them out, Rikku, but after I used it on them twice I started feeling sick again."  
  
"Yeah, me too," said Tidus. "These may be powerful, but they really take it out of you if you overuse them." He looked at his glove and sighed.  
  
"Still, you were able to crush about five of them with one wave of your hand; that gave us a real edge for a moment or two," said Paine. "Maybe once you get used to them, we can use their powers more often."  
  
"I hope so," Yuna replied. A crackle over the intercom made them all look up.  
  
A sharp twinge shot across Paine's forehead. She gritted her teeth and began massaging her temple with her right hand.  
  
"Paine, are you okay?" Rikku asked. "You need me to mix up a potion or something?"  
  
"Don't bother getting the Alchemist gear, I'll be alright."  
  
"You get hit by a rock on the way out?" asked Yuna.  
  
"I don't think so..... Maybe I'm not sleeping enough, I've had headaches off and on the last few days....."  
  
Buddy's voice emerged from the intercom. "Hey guys, we won't be fully restocked until morning, but Shinra's got a lead on another crystal signal already. It's gonna take all morning to get there, though."  
  
"So where's our next stop, then?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Looks like the Bikanel Desert. I've already called ahead to Brother, he's getting extra water supplies in case we need them."  
  
"Lovely. We get to go dig in the sand again," muttered Paine, still massaging her temples.  
  
"On the bright side, we're not going to be completely alone out there. From the looks of it, it's not too far from Nhadala's base of operations; we might be able to enlist her help."  
  
"How are we going to do that without making anyone suspicious?" Yuna asked.  
  
"Well, from what I gathered just a moment ago, Gippal's down there too, so he might be able to come up with a decent story." At the mention of his name, Rikku groaned and slumped down in her chair.  
  
"What's the matter, Rikku?" Paine drawled, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Just what I needed..... You know he's just gonna be making fun of me again; he never treats me as anything except a little kid!" Rikku pouted.  
  
"I'm pretty sure Gippal knows enough to be serious when he needs to be," said Yuna.  
  
"Yeah, right," Rikku muttered. She pushed up from the table and headed across the cabin to her bed. "Maybe if he would take things seriously he'd notice a few things...." she mumbled to herself, flopping down on the covers.  
  
Tidus blinked and shook his head a few times. "What was that all about?"  
  
Yuna smirked. "Probably just something she doesn't want to admit yet."  
  
"I heard that, Yunie, and I don't have any idea what you're talking about!!"  
  
"Maybe we'd best leave the matter and get some rest," said Paine, standing up and heading towards her own bed. "It's going to be a long day in the desert tomorrow, and I don't want lack of sleep giving me more headaches."  
  
"You're right, Paine. Let's get some shut-eye," Yuna replied. She and Tidus got up from the table and started down the cabin, when suddenly Yuna stopped. "Wait a minute.... Something's not right."  
  
"What's the matter?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Okay, you two, where did you move my bed?" she asked in a mock-angry tone. "I'm not really in the mood for practical jokes." Rikku stuck her hands behind her head and pointed to a door across the cabin.  
  
"Sorry, Yunie, but this cabin is now officially for single Gullwings only!!" she giggled. "Your new sleeping quarters are down there; we cleaned out the spare cabin Clasko used for a while." She pulled the covers over herself and shot her and Tidus a grin. "See you both in the morning!"  
  
Yuna put hand over her mouth to stifle nervous laugh; her face was turning red as the Celsius' paint job. She turned to Tidus, who was sporting an identical flush and scratching the back of his head. "Well.... This is something I wasn't quite expecting...." she chuckled.  
  
"Me neither," Tidus replied, taking her hand and leading her down the stairs to the lower level. "But I suppose we'll just have to make the best of it," he said in his best put-upon tone. Yuna took one look at the goofy expression on his face and burst out laughing; he dropped his composure and laughed right along with her.  
  
"Well then, shall we take a look at these so-called 'new quarters'?" she asked with a playful smirk.  
  
"Your wish is my command," Tidus replied as he opened the door. With one quick motion he swept her into his arms and carried her, giggling, over the threshold and into their cabin.  
  
On the upper level, Rikku smiled to herself. "Told you I'd make it up to you guys," she said quietly to herself.

* * *

The barrier that enclosed the Thunder Plains shuddered. A lone patrol officer who was standing watch snapped to attention and raised his rifle. His eyes grew wide as the violet miasma parted, forming an archway of sorts through which a solitary figure could be seen. "Who are you? Stay where you are!" he shouted, flipping the safety catch off. The figure said nothing, but took a step forward.  
  
"Identify yourself!!"  
  
The figure took another step.  
  
"If you don't stop, I'll fire!!!"  
  
Another step. The officer gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger. The bullet screeched through the air and tore a vicious furrow in the figure's shoulder.  
  
A violet glow began to emerge from a point within the figure's chest. Blood stopped flowing from the wound and the skin began to seal itself up rapidly. The officer stared, then grabbed his radio. "Captain, we've got a problem!! There's a....."  
  
The figure shot its right hand forward and a bolt of lightning tore across the clearing, engulfing the soldier and ripping his body to pieces. The figure lowered its hand; the lifeless husk of the guard collapsed to the ground, his rifle clattering on some nearby rocks.  
  
An angry sneer crossed Malar's lips. "That stung a bit, you worthless excuse for a human." He brushed his shoulder casually, then brought his gaze to bear on the darkening sky. "I suppose if you want something done properly, you've got to do it yourself."  
  
To Be Continued......  
  
[A/N: Had to cut corners on action sequences in this chapter, it was getting a bit long. Future chapters will demonstrate more powers of the crystals. Also, my end of chapter notes may be truncated in the near future; not saying why just yet. Stay tuned. -Neon Ronin] 


	9. Into the Fire

[A/N: Insert standard disclaimer here. Be alerted, all hell has broken loose in Spira. Do not jump to conclusions. Now, on with the show.]  
  
Chapter 9: ........Into the Fire  
  
Despite the oncoming winter, the sun blazed as fiercely as ever over the sands of Bikanel. The glare of sun on sand was almost as bad on the eyes as staring into the sun itself, and high winds had a tendency to erupt into sandstorms with little prior warning. With the exception of ancient ruins protruding from the dunes like reefs along the ocean floor, there were very few available safe zones where one could make camp. Few people, if any, risked the great expanses alone, not merely because of the climate but because of the great beasts that roamed the sands. In this wasteland, the Al Bhed encampment was a welcome sight as the Celsius descended from the skies.  
  
The ship stayed long enough for the Gullwings to disembark and then set a course for the far side of the island; this ploy had been agreed on as a means to divert suspicion but also to have the ship available if an extraction became necessary. Rikku had also pointed out the dangers of fouling the hover turbines with sand in the eventuality of a storm, and Brother was in no mood to go through another maintenance marathon after the mess in Kilika.  
  
Shortly after their landing, Gippal had greeted everyone in turn and taken them to the primary tent so they would not be interrupted.  
  
"So what it boils down to now is, we've got a set of coordinates where the next signal was coming from; we just need to get to it," Yuna was saying. "We tried to get a lock on a landing site closer to it, but we didn't have any luck."  
  
"I know what you mean," Gippal replied. "It's hard enough finding a place to set a scout hover down, much less that ship of yours." His hands traced idly over a map of the nearby expanses. "You say it's somewhere North of the Oasis?"  
  
"That's what we inferred from Shinra's tracking equipment," said Tidus. "If we can get transportation to the Oasis, we should be able to make it the rest of the way." He scratched his head, causing some blown sand to fall loose. "Though what we'll find there is another question."  
  
"It could be more ancient ruins," Rikku offered.  
  
"Or maybe just a hole in the ground," said Paine.  
  
"Whatever's out there, it's gonna be a little tricky to get out there," Gippal said. "Nhadala says there's signs of more sandstorms coming up, and she doesn't want too many people going on meaningless jaunts, least of all to the Oasis." He tapped the map, scratching his chin in thought. "Although......"  
  
"Although what?" Yuna asked.  
  
"Although...... if it were to transpire that some of our weather forecasting equipment in the Oasis needed replacing, and it was a multi- person job, she might let a team out to take care of the problem."  
  
"I didn't know you'd put in forecasting equipment," said Rikku.  
  
"New installation, two months ago. Some of my best work, if I may say so myself." Gippal put his hands behind his head and beamed one of his cockiest smiles. Rikku raised an eyebrow and smirked a bit. Paine just sighed.  
  
"But if it's only two months old, how's Nhadala going to believe it needs replacing?" asked Tidus.  
  
Gippal shrugged. "Maybe a particularly vicious storm chucked a rock into its workings," he said. He reached down into a toolbox by the table and pulled out a hammer, setting it in front of them. "But you'd better bring back some broken bits as proof repairs were warranted, if you get my drift."  
  
Rikku stared at him. "Gippal.... You said that was some of your best work, and now you want us to break part of it?" she stammered.  
  
"I didn't say that. I'm just saying it'll look better if you bring back whatever broken thing you needed to replace," he replied, lowering his voice. "I'll give you some replacement parts; just pick a part and go to town on it. That'll give you an excuse to get out to the Oasis and find what you've got to find."  
  
Rikku blinked. _He's actually going to sacrifice something he worked on to help us? I thought he treated the machina he designed like they were works of art!_ She looked down at the table. _And in a way, some of them really are works of art, that motorcycle he designed a year ago was really amazing. Or that time he helped me sketch out the combat claw-gloves I used to use, that was ..... Oh geez, you're rambling again Rikku, why can't you stop that?!?_ She shook her head and looked up again. "But... what if we can't fix it once we bust it?"  
  
Gippal grinned. "A machina that you can't fix? That'll be the day!" he said, laughing heartily. Yuna chuckled a bit, while Tidus tried to stifle a guffaw. Even Paine cracked a smile. Rikku blinked a few times, then she began laughing too.  
  
"Thanks, Gippal," she said through her giggles. "I knew we could count on you."  
  
"Hey, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for Cid's little girl," he said, reaching over and mussing her hair a little bit. Rikku pulled back a bit at first, but then smiled.

* * *

"Are you sure we aren't going to get ambushed out here?"  
  
The four were perched on a rock ledge overlooking the Oasis, some distance from the Hover that brought them there. A conglomeration of sensors and radio transmitters had been installed on the far side of the rock, which Rikku was currently sorting through. She quickly located a choice piece of vital workings and bludgeoned the living hell out of it with the hammer, then set about installing a replacement part and rebooting the system. Paine stood on watch for the pilot, while Yuna and Tidus kept an eye on the deserts to the North. All of them wore Al Bhed goggles supplied by Nhadala.  
  
"Don't sweat it, Tidus!" Rikku responded, locking a panel back in place. "I figured we're gonna need to lay low from fiends for now, which is why I brought this along!" She pointed to the Charm Bangle she had slipped on her wrist. "We could wander all over the place and not get attacked!"  
  
"Best be on guard anyway," said Yuna. "That bangle doesn't work on stronger fiends; if any of those Wrathfangs show up, it may not have any effect."  
  
"Ehehe.... I hadn't really thought of that," said Rikku. She grabbed the remaining panels and screwed them back into place. "That takes care of the cover story, now let's get to work."  
  
Paine tapped her radio headset. "Hey, driver! This looks like it's gonna be harder than we thought; we'll probably be a while yet." A muffled grunt came back over the line which could have been 'Roger', 'Okay', or 'Whatever'. The four huddled down on the far side of the ledge and examined the map they had obtained approximating the crystal's location. A quick glance of the terrain around them and a direction was decided upon. "Better let one of us take the map this time, Rikku; we might get lost again if you lead," Paine said in a deadpan tone.  
  
"Hey, that's not fair! I only got us lost the first time because I hadn't been back to Bikanel in a while!" Rikku retorted. "And without Home as a landmark, that just made it harder!"  
  
"Just a thought," Paine replied.  
  
"OK, fine! You don't want me to 'mess us up', then I won't!" Rikku stomped her feet, stuck out her tongue and turned on one heel. "Here, Tidus, you can be in charge of the map!" she said, tossing the map card into his hands and folding her arms. Whether it was mock-anger or if she was really upset, she wasn't hinting either way.  
  
"Rikku, settle down," said Yuna gently. "It doesn't matter who has the map, we've got a job to do and we can't be arguing with one another right now. Remember, we're a team."  
  
"I know...." Rikku began. "Still, you know it wasn't all my fault when we got lost the first time we came to Nhadala's, right? I'm not that bad with directions!"  
  
"We'll talk about this later, okay Rikku?" Tidus piped up. "Right now, there's a crystal with our names on it out there, and the only way we're going to get it is by working together."  
  
Rikku sighed, nodding her head. She looked over at Paine, who gave her a nod and the suggestion of a smirk. "All right, then, let's get on out there you guys!" she said, bounding out towards the desert beyond the Oasis. Tidus quickly followed suit, followed by Yuna and Paine.  
  
It didn't take them too far to realize the path they had plotted was not going to be an easy one. Windswept dunes had cropped up in a completely random pattern, and as they quickly discovered, most of the dunes were not packed sand. One step too far into a mound and the loose sand gave way beneath, trapping a foot or a leg for a few moments. A straight line path would not be possible without some harder packed dunes, otherwise they would spend the entire afternoon trying to climb one hill. Eventually they settled on a zigzag pattern, threading themselves between the dunes and checking their position constantly on the map card. One time they had to retrace their steps because they were heading too far to the East; two times they had to stop and extract themselves from accidental sandfalls. The first time, Rikku had misjudged a path and got pinned up to her waist by part of a dune collapsing. The second time, Paine tripped over the bleached bones of a lupine and collapsed directly into a loose ridge of sand.  
  
It seemed like they had been out pounding the dunes for an hour when the wind started to pick up. At first it felt like little more than a breeze, but the breeze began to pick up dangerously fast, throwing loose sand directly into their faces. The goggles worked to keep them from being blinded, but their noses and mouths were wide open to attack. Yuna coughed and covered her mouth with both hands, while Rikku wound her yellow scarf around the lower half of her face. The wind kept up, getting faster still and blowing sand so hard it began to cut across the Gullwings' exposed skin, causing them all to wince and in some instances drawing blood. A great buffeting arose as the winds beat at the sides of the dunes, producing a sound like sails flapping in the wind.  
  
"How much further do we have to go?" Yuna hollered over the roar of the winds.  
  
"According to this, we should be almost on top of it by now!!" Tidus responded. The four of them glanced around hurriedly; there was nothing of note around them except for the remains of a broken tower off to one side, one of many scattered across Bikanel. It stood at an odd angle, appearing to lean defiantly into the winds that were now pounding it and the surrounding dunes harder still. Its sides were clearly well-worn and battered, with very little identifying markers left on its surface. There was no immediately apparent way to enter the structure; the only windows of any sort were cut several dozen feet above the ground and few handholds were visible in the surface of the tower.  
  
"Well, if it isn't in there, at least we can use it as shelter!" Tidus shouted as he dashed towards the ruins. Holding his left hand over his face, he raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. The crystal glowed bright green as he slammed his hand into the sand in front of him. All at once, a geyser of sand erupted from the dunes around the tower and whorls of emerald light began to spin around Tidus. He raised both hands in front of his face and then flung his arms out to both sides, causing a wave of energy to shoot forward, dispersing the sand away and clearing a path towards the base of the tower. The bolt of energy struck the exposed stone wall, which began to ripple like the surface of a lake. The stone continued to roil and flow, molding itself into the form of a five-foot diameter cavity that reached directly into the interior of the tower.  
  
The crystal's light faded and Tidus took a deep breath. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," he said with a smirk. "Come on, let's go!" He sprinted closer to the tower, beckoning the others with a wave of his hand. In a moment they were all through the hole and out of the sandstorm.  
  
Paine ripped her goggles off and breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close call," she muttered. "So how did you figure out how to cut a doorway for us?" Tidus shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure. I think Ferro might have been nudging me subconsciously, letting me know how to tap his power just then."  
  
Yuna nodded, shaking sand out of her hair. "That's sort of how it felt when I tapped Naia's power at first," she said. "It wasn't so much that she was telling me what to do...... I just sort of knew."  
  
The sand continued to thrash at the walls outside. Paine flipped her radio back on and tried hailing the Hover pilot again, but there was nothing coming through except static. "Looks like we might be spending the night out here if the storm keeps up the way it is," she grumbled.  
  
"Hey, what's that?" Rikku asked. The others turned and looked at where she was pointing. In the middle of the room was a pillar of rough- hewn red quartz, covered with what looked like hundreds of years worth of dust. The pillar seemed to leap from the floor, stabbing upwards like a clawed hand, and set in the middle of it was a small ruby-colored disk. A faint vermillion light was pulsing from it.  
  
"Score!" cried Yuna exuberantly.  
  
"So who gets the crystal this time?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Whoever gets it, we can't use it much until this Fayth-forsaken storm passes by...." Paine responded. Just then there was a low thud from the outside of the tower, causing the walls to shake and dust fall from the upper walls. Everyone paused and looked around expectantly. "I'm hoping that was a sand worm getting blown into the tower," Paine said in a low voice. Seconds later there was a violent crash that shot cracks along the inner walls and sent large chunks of rock plummeting to the ground below. Rikku made a diving roll over the quartz pedestal and scrambled to the other side, barely escaping three falling parts of ceiling. Yuna crouched along the wall, yanking both guns from her belt and staring expectantly up at the tower interior.  
  
A loud whine shrilled through the air, becoming steadily louder and higher in pitch every second. Everyone within the tower winced and covered their ears, hoping it would die down, but the sound continued to drum away. The walls began to quake and crumble under the barrage of the sound, shaking even more chunks of stone loose. A jagged block broke away from the top of the tower and descended upon the quartz pedestal, crushing it into thousands of shards. Yuna gasped and Paine cursed under her breath. Just at that moment, the tower reached its limit and succumbed to the sound that was battering it. The turret quite literally exploded, torn away from the base by the roar of the wind and the shrill whine whose source was still unseen. The four hit the ground as fast as possible, shielding themselves from the rain of rock, metal and debris that had commenced. Tidus threw himself over Yuna and shot his right hand up in the air, unleashing an eldritch green shell that enveloped all four of them, deflecting dozens of rocks that were hailing down into the chamber. Rough blocks of stone showered the desert around the base of the tower, leaving an eight-foot circular wall as the only evidence there had been an ancient tower here.  
  
A few moments passed before they realized the sounds had died down. Slowly, the Gullwings opened their eyes and looked upward.  
  
From their vantage point, it appeared as though they were in the eye of the storm- sand still appeared to be whipping across the desert, but all around the tower was calm. Directly above them, perched on what was left of the tower wall, was a massive Zu with mottled violet-black feathers. It ruffled its wings a bit and looked down on the four with a petulant squawk. Some of the feathers along its back rose and fell in a peculiar manner.  
  
Rikku looked down at the bangle on her wrist and wrung her hands. "I thought this was supposed to keep fiends away....." she said in a small voice.  
  
"Guess this is one of those that ignores charms," growled Paine as she hefted her sword. Tidus raised his sword as well while Yuna brought both guns to bear on the Zu's head. Just then an unexpected sound broke through the roar of the wind around the ruins. The sound of laughter. Low, vicious laughter.  
  
"Well, well, well......" came a baritone voice from atop the Zu. "So you're the ones who have been pursuing the Four." A figure stepped into view along the Zu's left wing, a black-haired man clad in a sleeveless blue off-the-shoulder robe, black trousers and boots. He wore gold bracers on each arm and appeared to have a sword slung on his left hip. "Even after all these many years of imprisonment, I see there are still people foolish enough to resist the inevitable." His crimson eyes glared down at them and a slow smirk crossed his mouth.  
  
Yuna gasped. "It's him...." She lowered her guns slightly and stared at the man. "You're Malar, aren't you??" she shouted.  
  
His gaze turned to her, lingering for a fleeting moment, and his smile grew wider. "There are some who would know me by that name," he replied. "Though few alive today would be aware of my name lest they had awakened the Four, as you have. But rest assured, all Spira will be aware of my presence soon enough."  
  
Rikku's hand flew to her radio. "Brother! Get your butt over here now!! We've got an emergency!!" Static crackled over the earpiece as she shouted her hailing, then shouted it a second time. The vortex of sand seemed to be rotating faster outside the ruins.  
  
"Don't bother trying to call for help on that thing," Malar chuckled. "It's doubtful anything will be heard above that little breeze outside. And don't expect anyone to come running on one of those metal carriages, either." With a swift motion, he reached over beside his right foot, grabbed something and hefted it down at the four of them. It landed with a sickening squelch; Tidus gasped and Rikku screamed as they realized they were staring at the Hover pilot's severed head.  
  
"You..... You monster!!!!" cried Yuna in a choking voice as she glared up at Malar.  
  
"Monster? Heh," he replied. "Oftentimes, mankind will give the name monster to that which, by all rights, is a god. They merely refuse to accept the reality and place an ugly label upon that which is clearly superior. But enough of this; your pursuit of the Four ends here."  
  
"Not as long as we're breathing!" Tidus shouted, Spherechanging into his Gunner clothes and training his sights on Malar's chest. Bullet casings fell to the ground like rain from his and Yuna's guns as the two of them unleashed a deadly hail of lead towards Malar. Several slugs began to slam into his chest, but instead of crying out or staggering, Malar began to laugh. His left hand shot up and a violet shell encased him, causing the remaining oncoming slugs to ricochet in all directions. Lowering his hand, the shell dispersed; a faint glow emerged from a point on his sternum as the bullets he had been struck with popped out of his flesh and the holes sealed faster than the eye could follow. "A spirited attempt, but worthless," he chortled as he thrust his right hand forward, raking the enclosed area with lightning bolts from his palm. Everybody was knocked backwards from the force of the spell except for Rikku, who was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Malar glanced in all directions but could not see her, until he heard the sound of running feet to his left. He twisted around just in time to see Rikku jumping towards him with both daggers, having climbed the wall and dashed along the broken edges to greet him on his own level. One dagger gouged his upper arm but before the second could strike, he thrust forward with his right hand, punching Rikku in the gut and sending her headfirst to the ground again. The gouge on his arm rapidly sealed over and vanished.  
  
Yuna struggled to her feet and brushed a hand along the side of her head; thankfully, the White Lore she had clipped to her hair beads was still in place. She shoved one of her guns into her belt and concentrated on the party as a whole. "CURAGA!" she cried, sending a soothing aura in all directions and sealing up the flash burns the lightning had caused. Malar raised his hand again and siphoned a wave of sand from the storm around them, bringing it down upon them all as a smith brings a hammer down on an anvil. Tidus holstered his guns and slammed his right hand down on the ground; the crystal shone bright green and two curved sheets of rock erupted from the ground around them, taking the brunt of the sandblast before breaking into nothingness. Malar blinked once as the rock shield disappeared, then noticed Yuna raising her right hand rapidly. The crystal on her hand shone blue-white and a concentrated beam of energy leaped forth. Malar's right arm shot up over his chest, but the beam veered lower and pierced his abdomen, tearing a horrific hole in his side and out his back like a powered drill through soft wood.  
  
Yuna dropped to her knees, breathing heavily, and glared up at Malar.....and her eyes went wide. He was still standing there, despite the hole in his stomach the size of a Blitzball, his eyes set in a vicious scowl. A glow emerged from his torso as new tissue began to form in place of that he had lost. Sinews, bone and organs were replaced right before the Gullwings' disbelieving eyes, until finally the skin sealed over and the glow faded. There was no scarring, no change in skin color, nothing. Malar's face relaxed slightly and he looked at Yuna with a dispassionate air.  
  
"That hurt," he said in a monotone.  
  
"This is looking really bad, Yunie!" said Rikku, who was holding her hands over her face and backing away.  
  
A massive form akin to that of a Gigas suddenly emerged from the back of the Zu, glaring down at the battlefield with fire in its eyes. "Shall I deal with them, Master?" he rumbled. Malar turned to his servant and shook his head. "No, Neogas, we have other ways of dealing with them. As for our plans....." He turned his gaze back to Yuna. "We will be changing them slightly." He raised both hands in front of him with fingers flexed in an arcane position, and began to chant in an ancient tongue.  
  
"_**Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, hear me.....**_"  
  
A feeling akin to a bolt of fire shot through Paine's head; she dropped her sword and clutched at her temples, teeth gnashed and a low groan coming from her throat. "Paine!!" Rikku yelped as she rushed over to her side. "What's going on? What is that maniac doing to you?!?" Paine said nothing, but collapsed to her knees and gasped for breath.  
  
"**_The oath I imprinted long ago was never broken by my absence. Hear the voice of your ancestor and OBEY!!_**"  
  
"Yunie, I can't tell what's going on!!" Rikku wailed, turning back to the others. "I can't tell if she needs healing potion or an Antidote; what do you....."  
  
There was a sudden flash of metal, and Rikku's eyes went wide.  
  
All was silent for a moment. Then, Rikku's arms went limp and she dropped to her knees, falling forward onto the sand. A wound gaped across her back as Paine rose up from behind her, poised in a battle stance with vermillion light glowing in her eyes.  
  
"RIKKU!!!!" Yuna screamed.  
  
Malar laughed malevolently. "Now dance for me, children." Paine took a quick step and lunged towards Yuna, sword arcing around preparing to strike. Yuna stood in shock, unable to move away from the approaching blade when suddenly there was a loud clang. She blinked and shook her senses back in order; Tidus was standing in front of her in his regular clothes, his left arm in front of his face. Paine's sword had caught in the ridges of his armored glove and the two of them were locked in a contest of strength to try and push the other back.  
  
"Paine, what the hell do you think you're doing??" Tidus bellowed as she broke the lock and swung at him again, a quick swing which he only barely parried with Caladbolg. "I'll handle this, Yuna, make sure Rikku's alright!" Yuna nodded frantically and dashed over to Rikku's crumpled figure, digging into her equipment pouch as she did so. She dropped to her knees and noticed that Rikku was still breathing, but the gash that ran parallel to her spine would be fatal if not treated. Quickly she pulled out a prepared Phoenix Down and crumbled it to powder along the wound.  
  
Tidus and Paine circled each other, swords flashing in the light. The clash of steel became near-deafening as Paine pressed the attack, swinging her blade with the force of a hurricane. Tidus remained on the defensive, parrying each successive strike without attempting to draw blood. "Damn it Paine, get a hold of yourself!" he shouted as she dove at him, breaking a fallen stone slab in half with her sword. He circled back around, making every attempt to keep her away from the others; she spun around and struck at him four times. Three strikes he parried with his own sword, the fourth with his glove. _I really don't want to have to do this,_ he thought to himself; he'd seen enough instances of magical confusion where the only way out without a remedial potion was to smack the other person in the face. His doubts in the matter were quickly settled when she swung her blade in a downward arc, trapped his sword for a second and drove the heel of her boot into his stomach, kicking him against the wall. _Hell with it, I've got no choice!!_ As she drove the attack further, he locked his sword with hers, forced the blade over towards his left, pulled back his left arm, muttered a quick apology and smashed her across the face.  
  
Paine dropped to her knees and immediately glared up at Tidus, the glow still raging in her eyes. He stared for a moment and then doubled over as she drove the pommel of her sword into his solar plexus. Yuna was helping Rikku to sit back up and gasped as she saw him fall backwards. Paine lifted her sword high and brought it down, but Tidus swung Caladbolg in front of him at the last second, blocking her blade. "Yuna, this is no ordinary confusion she's under! We've got to try something else!" he gasped, trying to hold her back. Yuna nodded, focusing the energies within the White Lore and raising her hands. "ESUNA," she cried, channeling rays of golden light towards her. The spell enveloped the warrior but did nothing to change her course of action. Yuna shook her head in anguish and started digging through her equipment pouch when a beam of white light enveloped her. She glanced around worriedly and felt her eyelids growing heavy; she tried desperately to fight it off but before she knew it she had collapsed on the ground in a deep sleep.  
  
The white beam from Malar's palm turned a violet hue as a grin spread across his face. He raised his hand and the light coalesced around Yuna's unconscious form, raising her off the ground and pulling her towards the Zu and its riders. Rikku's eyes went wide and she tried to get up, but her legs gave way beneath her and she collapsed to the ground once again.  
  
"No..... No!!" Tidus jerked upwards, planting his feet on his sword and shoving Paine off of him. He scrambled up just as Malar brought Yuna's body over to the back of the Zu. "You bastard, Malar, give her back to me!!" Malar whipped around and thrust his right hand at Tidus, producing a beam of total darkness that tore a wicked gash across his chest and knocked him to the ground.  
  
"Boy, you had best learn your place in this world. This day's victory is mine, and I have already claimed my trophy," Malar laughed. "My beloved Wrathfangs should have completed work on that encampment by now, so I shall bid you a fond farewell. And you....." He pointed at Paine who was gazing up at him with a vacant look on her face. "You have done well. Your service is no longer needed," he said as he snapped his fingers. The crimson light in Paine's eyes disappeared and her face relaxed as she collapsed forward onto the sand. With a furious beat of its wings, the Zu and its cargo lifted away from the ruins and out of the eye of the storm which was rapidly beginning to wane.  
  
"No.......it can't be...... Yuna...... Yuna!" moaned Tidus as he rolled over and slowly dragged himself to his knees. Tears were rolling down his face as he stared at the sky above, the sky in which the Zu was rapidly getting smaller. The winds were dying down, blowing stray grains of sand and dust into the ruins of the tower. He clenched his hands and beat the ground he was kneeling on. It couldn't be true. He didn't want it to be true. But it was.  
  
"YUNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
To Be Continued........ 


	10. The Darkness Before Dawn

[A/N: The usual disclaimer 'n stuff. When last we left our story, all hell had broken loose, in the form of an arrogant bastard named Malar. Now, the aftermath.....]  
  
Chapter 10: The Darkness Before Dawn  
  
Rikku stirred. She moaned softly as pinpricks of fire danced along her back. Her head tossed from side to side as images assaulted her brain. Paine collapsed and holding her head.... The sudden impact of a blade cutting across her back... Yuna administering first aid and then getting pulled into the sky by a purple light..... She began to squirm, crying out Yuna's name, when suddenly she felt a hand on her left shoulder. Her eyes opened slowly, not sure if they wanted to know who was there. Her vision was blurred but she could feel a bedspread beneath her and the cool breeze of a machina ventilation system, and she realized she must be back on board the Celsius.  
  
"Yna oui ymnekrd, Rikku?" The man beside her came into focus and she realized it was Gippal. His clothing was ripped in several places and there was a bad gash over his good eye, but he was there. The image of the Hover pilot's head replayed itself in her head and she started to cry.  
  
[Translation: Are you alright, Rikku?]  
  
"Gippal...... you're alive..." she whispered.  
  
"So are you," he replied. "You were in pretty bad shape when we found you guys." He drew in a long breath and laid his hand gently on her forearm. "You scared the living hell out of me; I thought we were going to lose you at first." Rikku blinked the tears out of her eyes and saw that his forehead was creased with worry lines. The Gippal she had grown up with, the joking, braggart, bravado-filled man she knew wasn't there. His face was haggard, exhaustion and anxiety pervading every pore.  
  
"I.... What happened to the others? Nhadala, the diggers, what happened to them?" she asked, raising herself on her elbows. "Did they make it out okay??"  
  
"Most of them did," Gippal replied. "When we lost radio contact with the Hover pilot we got suspicious that something was wrong, so we contacted Brother to see if he was able to reach you. He apparently tried twice and got no response, so I ordered an evac to get everyone out and find you guys." He shook his head sadly. "That's when those things began dropping out of the sky."  
  
"Wrathfangs....." Rikku said with a sick expression on her face. "Malar said they were 'completing work' before I passed out......" The dam burst and she broke down sobbing, tears flowing down her face like rain. She felt Gippal put his arms around her shoulders and hold her to his chest, gently rocking her back and forth, and gradually the tears slowed to a trickle. "I thought everyone was gonna die," she whimpered.  
  
"This is all my fault," came a low voice to their right. Rikku glanced over and saw Paine sitting on the edge of her bed, her hands clenched between her knees. "I let that son of a bitch get into my head, I wasn't strong enough." She looked up, and Rikku could see her face was contorted in self-loathing. "I thought I could face any challenge, any fiend, anything we ever ran across. But that man....." Paine shuddered and punched the pillow at her side. "I couldn't get him out of my head," she growled. "And I let him hurt you and the others through me."  
  
"Paine....." said Rikku softly.  
  
"He said....." Paine swallowed hard. "He said, 'blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh' just before he tore into my mind." She looked down at her hands and flexed her fingers. "I don't even want to think about what that means, although I can make a guess......."  
  
"That man deserves to die a hundred times," Rikku said in a low, shaky voice. "Taking over your mind, killing my people, ripping Yunie away from us to do who knows what with her...." She looked up and wiped some of her tears away. "I know he supposedly can't die, but I'm not going to rest until I've found a way to kill him once and for all."  
  
"Rikku....." She looked up at Gippal's face, which was more serious than she had ever seen in her life. "You're taking a hell of a risk, you know that? I know you're tough, I know what you've done before, but this is the first time I've nearly seen you die for a cause you believed in. What's happening here is bigger than you and all the other Gullwings put together."  
  
"I know that," Rikku sniffed, "But what else can I do but fight?"  
  
"You shouldn't have to fight alone, Rikku. You could use a good ally," Gippal said, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her eyes. "Let me contact the Council. We can mobilize League and Yevonite forces to protect civilians from fiend attacks, and any elite troops can help with the big boss when it comes down to it." He paused. "That includes me, too."  
  
Rikku was speechless for a moment. "Gippal, I.... I didn't want to ask you to fight, the Machine Faction needs you...."  
  
"The Faction is part of the Council and doesn't need me to survive," he responded. "I've got a score to settle with Malar just as badly as you do."  
  
"Even if we gather all the warriors in Spira, it won't help much unless we have all of the Elemental Crystals," Paine spoke up. "And one of them was crushed in the tower's collapse."  
  
Rikku's eyes went wide. "No it wasn't, Paine," she said as she dug into her equipment pouch and pulled something out. The ruby disk shone brightly in her palm. "I snared it when I was diving out of the way of the roof collapse. It just felt like I needed to save it right then."  
  
Paine stared for a moment, then smiled. "I think you just earned back a lot of respect points, Rikku."  
  
The crystal began to glow and a small jet of flame shot forth from the surface. It spun into the air, growing in size yet not in heat, until a great plume of fire was burning in midair above the cabin floor. The figure of a woman coalesced within the fire, her hair crackling and snapping in all directions and a bright smile on her face. Gippal's jaw dropped as the figure glanced around the room.  
  
"You must be the ones who found me," she said with the hint of a giggle in her voice. "I am Vora, the ever-so-brilliant Spirit of the Flame, Keeper of the Fire Crystal and all that fun stuff." She grinned for a brief moment, then her face turned very serious. "I can only assume that since I am awake, 'he' is back, am I right?"  
  
Paine nodded. "If by 'he' you mean Malar, yes, he is back," she said with an edge of ice in her voice.  
  
"He tried to kill us and he took one of us away," Rikku piped up. "We need your help so that we can go get Yunie and her crystal back!!"  
  
"Her crystal? You mean he has captured one of my brethren? That can't be possible; we were constructed so that he could never physically touch us!"  
  
"Well.... He took them both together; Yunie was trying to fight him with the Water Crystal, but then......"  
  
"All hell broke loose and we lost them both," Paine continued.  
  
"I see...." said Vora. She gazed at the three people before her with a studious eye. "Hmm... yes, yes. I can feel it. The raging spirit that will never be quenched, energy beyond compare. The one whose body and spirit have been touched by the dance of flame, whose hope and determination burn brightest in the company of those who care."  
  
She turned to Rikku. "If you're going to face Malar, my power would serve you well."  
  
Rikku stared. "Me? But I'm not even the best fighter among us! I may be alright, but I thought Paine would be..."  
  
"It's okay, Rikku," Paine said with a sigh. "I didn't think I would be chosen anyway. I've been too cold for too long- and I don't mean that as a joke." She stood up and walked over. "You were always the real firecracker of the Gullwings anyway, Rikku. And she's right, you know- there haven't been many times I've seen you lose hope around us. Even when you ticked me off, your enthusiasm would keep us all going full tilt." She patted Rikku on the shoulder. "Just save the last crystal for me."  
  
Rikku smiled. "So you're still going to fight along with us, right?"  
  
"I can't change what happened in the desert," said Paine. "I wasn't strong enough then, but by the Fayth I'm going to do my damnedest to get that bastard back. He's going to pay for raping my mind and hurting my friends."  
  
Rikku nodded. "Vora, I accept your power!" she cried. The flame became a serpent that wound through the air, wrapping itself around Rikku's right hand and shrinking until it became a faint flicker. The fires died down and revealed a golden fingerless glove on Rikku's hand, with the crystal set in the back. Ruby knuckle guards glinted in the light.  
  
Gippal blinked. "So that's what those crystals are like.... Living weapons, just like you said."  
  
Rikku nodded. "We've got to get moving. Where's Tidus?" she asked as she pushed out of bed, wincing as she tried to ignore the scar across her back. Healing potion had closed the wound but had not removed the mark.  
  
"He's on the bridge, last I saw him," said Paine. "He and Shinra were discussing some plan of attack. You'd better not get in his face too much, he looks terrible." Rikku barely heard the last part; she had already jumped to the lower floor of the cabin and was sprinting towards the elevator. The corridors held some of Nhadala's diggers and a pilot, most sporting bandages on various parts of their bodies. Rikku shook her head sadly as she punched the button for the bridge and waited for the lift to finish its long crawl up.  
  
The lift stopped and Rikku was racing for the bridge before the doorway was fully open. The scar across her back was screaming at her, but she shrugged it off with a wince. The door to the bridge opened and she immediately skidded to a halt, not wanting to crash into the upper railing. Tidus paced back and forth slowly in front of Shinra's workstation where Shinra was frantically typing something into the computer. Buddy was in his usual seat, but Brother was sitting on Shinra's pile of junk with his head propped on both his hands. As the door opened, Tidus glanced up and Rikku could see a look of desperation and anger in his eyes. His visage softened when he saw her own tearstained face. He stopped pacing and crossed over and up the staircase, where Rikku put her arms around his waist and hugged him as if he were her own brother.  
  
"It's going to be alright, Rikku," Tidus said with a lump in his throat as he hugged her in return. "Malar's got another thing coming if he thinks he can take her away. I've gone through too much just to go and lose her all over again." He looked down at her. "Are you okay now? You got whacked pretty bad earlier."  
  
"I'll manage," she replied. "But what are we gonna do? For all we know, that Malar creep could've taken Yunie anywhere in Spira by now!"  
  
"That's what Shinra and I were working on earlier," he replied. "We may not be able to tell where he is, but there's a high chance we can find out where he took Yuna." Tidus led Rikku down to Shinra's workstation and pointed to a screen showing a map of Spira. "We've set his jury-rigged crystal scanner on a narrow wave scan; instead of looking for any crystal signature, he's looking for one that matches the one he scanned in the first place- which is on Yuna's hand."  
  
Rikku's eyes lit up. "That's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?" She began to jump up and down, but suddenly came to a halt as doubt crossed her face. "Wait a moment... oh no, what if the crystal isn't on Yunie's hand anymore? What if Malar took it away and took her in a different direction?" Worry lines crossed her face, then she shook her head as if trying to clear the cobwebs. "No, I can't think like that, there's no point in being a downer at a time like this!"  
  
Tidus frowned. "You may have a point there, though..... If he knows we have a means to track the crystal, he could be using this time to set a trap for us all." He folded his arms and sighed, shaking his head. "But trap or no trap, there's no way in hell I'm backing out on this. The scanner's the best chance we've got now, and if that doesn't work, we'll just have to think of something else!" Rikku looked at him and saw that his jaw was set in determination, but there was a wet glint at the corner of his eye. Brother just shook his head and sighed.  
  
The door to the bridge opened again and Paine strode in. "Tidus, I know words can't make up for what I did earlier, but-"  
  
"Paine, there's no need to apologize," he said. "I know it wasn't you behind those eyes, he was using you. You can't blame yourself for something you had no control over." He paused, remembering speaking those same words to Yuna in Kilika not so long ago. "You're our teammate- and our friend. I know you wouldn't have consciously done what Malar made you do."  
  
"Damn straight I wouldn't have," she replied. "I am still going to make up for it, though. I can't just sit in that cabin all day and mope about while he goes around ripping Spira up. Once we get Yuna back, we're gonna find him and I am personally going to slit his throat."  
  
Tidus smiled a little. "Good to know you're still good for a fight, Dr. P," he said lightly. He turned back to look at the sky out the cockpit windows, gazing at the cloud-dotted expanse before them.  
  
_Hold on, Yuna. I'm not going to let that parasite rip us apart; this is our story now. I swore we would be together always, and that's a promise I intend to keep._ A tear rolled down Tidus' cheek, which he brushed away absently. _I'm coming to get you back. Just hold on a little longer, my angel..._

_

* * *

_

__

"Where am I?"  
  
Yuna stood shakily, looking all around her for something she recognized. The ground beneath her feet felt swimmy; it supported her weight yet had no real distinct form or hardness. She could not see any grass or rocks, could not see any stars, moon or sunlight. She could not see anything except herself. All around was darkness. There was not a sound anywhere except the echo of her own voice. She hugged herself and shuddered as a wave of nameless fear settled in the pit of her stomach. "Is anybody there?" she called out into the darkness. "What is this place?" Her voice was rising in urgency; the last time she had been engulfed in such a black nothingness was during her descent to the Farplane, just after her first encounter with Shuyin. The memory of that day came flooding back and she tried to close her mind to it. _This can't be happening again. I can't go back to that place, I don't want to!!_  
  
She shot a glance to the crystal on her right hand. "Naia, what's going on? Help me!" she cried. There was no response; the crystal was as black as coal. She shook her hand viciously, but the familiar aqua glow did not emerge. She glanced around frantically and started to run, her boots pounding the black nothingness upon which she stood. "Isn't there anyone who can hear me???" she shrieked. Just then she became aware of a faint violet glow that winked into existence to her right. She drummed her feet to a halt and turned slowly.  
  
A small amethyst-tinted orb was hanging in midair just a few short yards from her. She stared at it in wonderment, then took a step back as it began to slowly drift towards her. A whisper echoed through the air and the space directly around the orb began to shimmer, taking on the outline of a human chest. Yuna's eyes went wide as a man's form began to emerge around the orb, and she flinched as the sound of laughter pierced the silence that pervaded the darkness.  
  
"There's no need to holler, Lady Yuna. I can hear you just fine." It was a man's voice, a tenor with subtle undertones of menace not unlike the purr of a cat. Yuna gasped; she had heard that voice before. The male form in front of her took on a more distinct silhouette- a distinct set of robes, an all too familiar hairline. She began to shake uncontrollably as the figure before her became clear and took a step towards her. Even the glint in his eyes was the same.  
  
"S-Seymour..." she stammered, grasping at her belt only to find her guns were no longer there. "No, this isn't possible.... It can't be! You can't be back! I Sent you myself!!" she screamed.  
  
The image of Seymour began to laugh. "Well, well. Some memories are just to vivid to let go of, I suppose," he said, taking another step towards her. "Believe me, I know that feeling all too well." Yuna began to back away, but stopped as she noticed something. Seymour's voice had suddenly deepened a note, his form becoming indistinct. The Guado's hair melted in towards his head and his clothing became a fine mist, reshaping itself into a new form. Red-black checked sleeves emerged on the figure's arms, knee-length Blitzer trunks over his legs....  
  
"Shuyin?!?" Yuna gaped in astonishment. "Wha.. What in the name of Bahamut is going on??"  
  
"It seems you have been through much, High Summoner Yuna," the figure spoke, uttering her name and title with ice in his voice. "Many trials, many black marks that you wish you could remove from your mind, but just can't." Shuyin's voice had dropped further to a menacing baritone, and the form became indistinct once more. "I have been through much, too. More than you could ever possibly imagine." The figure was practically face to face with her now, and all at once its features snapped into clear focus. The black hair, the ruby eyes, the menacing leer across his mouth. "Hello there." Yuna blinked and the expression on her face quickly shifted from fear and confusion to anger.  
  
"MALAR!" She jerked her right hand back and slammed it forward into his face- and through it. She passed right through his face and right arm as if he was not even there, stumbled forward and collapsed on the blackness beyond. She stared at her hand and became aware of his low, mirthless laughter coming from behind her.  
  
"Such impertinence. It ill suits you, 'Lady' Yuna," Malar purred as he circled around her. "I was just toying with images I found in your head, memories of people who seemed to have hurt you." He grinned sadistically. "Just having a little fun."  
  
Yuna glared up at him. "Fun...... What is it you want, you son of a bitch? Where am I?"  
  
Malar twitched an eyebrow and folded his arms. "These are your new....quarters, as it were. I can't simply have you rising up to ruin everything, so I have taken care of that. You will be quite comfortable- for now, anyway. As for what I want.... I suppose as my guest you do deserve an explanation."  
  
He stepped forward and looked down upon her. His crimson eyes looked like they could cut diamonds. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to be caught in an endless waking nightmare? Never fully awake, but unable to sleep? Unable to exert your full influence on the world around you? I have languished beneath the Plains of Woe for the last two thousand years, crippled and blinded by that accursed prison that Rilian and those damnable crystals set up- and for what, I ask you?" He turned and paced a few steps away before glaring at Yuna once again. "It was all petty jealousy; Rilian knew that the powers of Chaos held untapped potential, but he was too scared. He didn't want to take any risks. But I was not afraid. I dared step into a realm where he had only waded- and because of that, he grew jealous.  
  
"He didn't want to face the fact that his student had surpassed him. He resented the fact that I had discovered the legendary Jewel of Entropy when no other Magus had been able to. And he detested the fact that I learned how to tap its power and bend the natural laws to my own desires. I kept telling him that the only way to truly keep the people safe from fiends was to delve into the very chaos that created them, but he refused to accept it. Instead, he turned his back on the power I offered and devoted himself to Elemental Arts and to....." Malar's face grew dark and he spit into the blackness, "Summoning."  
  
Yuna blinked. "So the man who imprisoned you was a Summoner..."  
  
"A CHARLATAN!!" Malar roared. He stepped towards Yuna and grabbed her by the shoulders, hauling her to her feet. "Rilian had no real idea what he was doing. Everybody thought it was a stroke of genius, find a means by which to summon fiends that were not fiends to protect those in need. Oh sure, he was able to create the means by which to summon the Great Aeon, the Avian Valefor, but nobody could comprehend what went into his efforts. Do you know the sacrifices he inflicted to make the ritual possible? His great creation, the Soul Statue Of The Fayth- how many times did he fail before he succeeded? How many willing souls gave themselves to his effort, only to die in agony as the binding rituals failed time and again?"  
  
Yuna said nothing. Malar drew in a long breath, composing himself. "I was the only one who saw Rilian's wasted efforts. I knew he was on the wrong path, which is why I took it upon myself to find the right one. The power of Chaos is the only proper means by which to subdue and control the fiends of Spira, but no one accepted that. Nobody could see that I held the key to Spira's salvation." He let go of Yuna, letting her drop to her knees. "They refused to acknowledge my superiority, and for that all of Spira will pay."  
  
_So Rilian was the first of the Summoners..._ Yuna thought to herself. She stared at Malar and pulled herself to her feet. "I know the sacrifice made to become a Fayth is great," she said in a shaking voice. "But you can't blame someone for trying to make this world a better place. Have you forgotten the people who gave themselves to the ritual did so of their own free will? How can you mourn the loss of those who died willingly and then turn around and claim innocent victims of your own?"  
  
"You are a Summoner yourself; I don't expect you to understand," Malar growled. "Former Summoner or not, you are just as misguided and wayward as he was. Be aware, under normal circumstances I would have killed you on the spot." He paused, allowing a small smile to creep onto his face. "However, these are not normal circumstances. In fact, I suppose I even owe you some small thanks for what you did for me."  
  
"What I did for you?!" Yuna sputtered. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"All these long years of my exile, the barrier kept the majority of my powers at bay," Malar continued. "Still, I could exert myself in some small way by letting the aura of Chaos seep into the very land around me. It would well up to the surface and become a direct reflection of my rage against my prison. It didn't take very long to permeate all of the Plains with my presence, and my anger could be unleashed on all who dared tread the land. For well over a millennium the climate in the Plains was a mirror image of my fury- raw, vicious, unpredictable." He paused. "Yet not long ago, for a brief moment, I actually felt at peace. I heard a melodious voice, caught snippets of a face projected by energy trapped within spheres. There was a song all about me, and for a short time it felt like I was free, that there was someone who was singing to reach me and quell my rage. But the moment was all too short, and it was gone again before I knew it. And for someone who cannot die, moments like that are few and far between.  
  
"That face and that voice belong to you, Milady. And I shall preserve both for all time from this day forth, as my favor to you."  
  
Yuna stared at him in shock. _That concert was meant to bring the Youth League and New Yevon together....and because of that I attracted the attention of HIM? No....no, this can't be real! This is too much; I don't want to listen to his ravings anymore!_ She jerked herself to her feet. "I don't want any favors from a misguided lunatic, I want you to let me go!" she yelled as she dashed at him and tried to punch him repeatedly. Malar laughed as all her jabs passed right through his body with no resistance whatever.  
  
"You foolish girl, can't you tell I'm not really here? This is merely the projection of me into your subconscious mind. Your body isn't technically here either, but be assured it is in good hands and will not be harmed." Yuna's eyes went wide, and he continued. "Your friends will most likely be wondering where you are by now, and even if they do track you down, I seriously doubt they will be able to release you. Not only do they lack the power, but their confidence must be rattled now that they know a descendant of mine is working with them." His red eyes glinted in the darkness.  
  
"Descendant??" Yuna's hand suddenly flew to her mouth. "You mean...... Paine?"  
  
"I wondered whether Rilian would pursue the two children I sired out of wedlock before he sealed me in his pathetic prison. It would appear they lived and had descendants of their own, for no one in Spira had crimson eyes before I was born," he chuckled. "Now if you will excuse me, I've droned on for far too long. There is work that must be done. I do hope you will be comfortable here with your memories, for that is all the company you will have from now on." His form began to fade rapidly, until only the violet orb remained. "Until next time, High Summoner Yuna," his voice rang out as the orb vanished.  
  
Yuna stood shaking for a moment, then began to run. She glanced in all possible directions, looking for a sign of light, but found none. Her feet broke into a mad dash, careening from one side to another. "Come back here!!" she shouted into the blackness, only to be answered by her own echo. "Anybody? Can you hear me???" she shrieked. She began to tremble viciously and her feet gave way beneath her, throwing her face-first to the nothingness that was the ground. Sobbing gasps made their way from her throat and she looked up only to be accosted by a series of faint images that hung in the air around her. The wedding to Seymour on the Highbridge.....the face-off with her own friends in the Den of Woe....Shuyin embracing her on the Farplane with a sinister look in his eyes......and the worst image of all, Tidus fading before her very eyes on the deck of the Highwind. She tried to claw the visions away, but they persisted, growing ever closer. Clamping her eyes shut, fighting back tears, she did the only thing she could think of; she put her fingers to her lips and blew as hard as she could.

* * *

Tidus jerked his head up and stared out the bow windows of the Celsius. _Did I imagine that?_ he asked himself, beginning to pace nervously. _I could almost swear I heard it.....but did anyone else?_ He looked around. Everyone else was preoccupied with setting their Grids, choosing equipment or monitoring the scanner. He sighed and looked down at his hands. _Maybe my mind's playing tricks on me,_ he said to himself. Then something caught his eye. The crystal on the back of his hand was scintillating ever so slightly, a sliver of sapphire flowing within the emerald glow.  
  
The sound he thought he had heard came again, and he realized it wasn't his imagination. _She's calling to me!  
_  
"I've got something!" Shinra called out. "It's not much, but there's a weak signal coming from Mt. Gagazet, near the peak. Very faint, though, and it doesn't match exactly, but...."  
  
"It's her." Tidus turned towards Shinra's desk and looked at the screen. "Brother, get us on a course for Gagazet Peak. It's time to go to work."  
  
"Are you sure?" Brother responded. "If the signal does not fit, it most likely is a trap! We cannot just blindly charge in!!"  
  
"I know it's her, Brother. Set a course for Gagazet, now."  
  
Brother stared at Tidus for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and heading for the control seat. Buddy stood up and walked over. "How can you be so sure we've got the right signal if it isn't a perfect match?" he asked.  
  
"Looks like there's a winter storm brewing near the peak, too," Paine interjected. "That could be giving us a warped signal at that."  
  
Tidus looked at them both and gave them a small smile. "I heard her whistle. And I promised her I'd come running at that call a long time ago." He strode towards the front of the ship and gazed out at the clouds. Looking down at the crystal on his hand, he nodded to himself.  
  
"You think he might be starting to lose it?" Paine asked Rikku quietly. Rikku shook her head, pointing to the crystal on the back of her hand.  
  
"I heard something too, in my mind. She was whistling for him..... For all of us. I think she's hurting bad." A determined look crossed her face. "And you can bet we're gonna make Malar pay for it."  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
[A/N: This was possibly one of my toughest chapters to date, due to the fact I was writing at breakneck pace to try and satisfy my readers' cravings. Anyway, now there's a better picture of the maniac behind the madness, and the next chapter should be back to the action as before. I hope the writing herein wasn't horribly convoluted or at a lower standard, but then again I am my own worst critic. Work and other things have been frying my brain, but I can't let the readers down. Hope you liked the latest chapter and don't leap to any conclusions yet. -Neon Ronin 


	11. Your Voice

[A/N: Thanks for the continuing flow of positive reviews, everyone. I own neither characters nor places, take that issue up with Square Enix. And now, on to:]  
  
Chapter 11: Your Voice  
  
The winter clouds that gathered over the peak of Mt. Gagazet were nothing if not menacing. They clung together like great wads of wet laundry, blotting out much of the sunlight and spewing forth a horrific mix of snow and freezing rain. High winds battered the upper cliffs and forced many airborne fiends to seek shelter in the labyrinth of tunnels that permeated the mountain. The elegant ruins at the top of the peak were no longer visible, cloaked as they were in the dense layers of clouds. Occasionally a flicker of lightning would arc across the heavens, bringing some small illumination to the mountainside and an air of great concern to Brother's face as the Celsius crawled close to the side of the cliffs.  
  
"E tuh'd mega drec uha ped. Drec faydran ec vyn duu necgo vun ic du kad eh lmuca du dra lmevvc!" he muttered, easing back on the throttle and turning to look at the others. "Shinra! How much do we risk using the teleport in this weather?"  
  
[Translation: I don't like this one bit. This weather is far too risky for us to get in close to the cliffs!]  
  
"That's a big risk given the weather," was Shinra's reply. "The wind doesn't pose that much threat, but the cloud-to-cloud lightning is messing up my readings. I've still only barely got a lock on the crystal waves."  
  
"Can you get a bead on where the waves are coming from?" Tidus asked, fitting his Grid into place along the inside of his left forearm.  
  
Shinra pointed to the display. "Looks like it's coming from within that cave on the side of the mountain," he said, "but the closest we can get to a reasonable landing site is below it. That's assuming we can actually land, of course."  
  
"Doesn't look like that's gonna happen," Buddy piped up as several gauges started beeping in unison. "It's getting tricky enough to hold in this position; if we try and get in close with the access ramp we could crash."  
  
"Then we'll have to go out on the anchor line," said Tidus firmly. "Brother, get in as close as you can and then fire the cable."  
  
Paine stared. "Tidus, are you serious? You're planning to go cable- riding in weather like that?"  
  
"It's nothing I haven't done before," he replied. "We've only got wind to worry about this time. Last time we had to worry about winds and Yevonite guards firing at us- remember, Rikku?"  
  
Rikku nodded. "Yeah, that was way cool- but pretty scary, too!" Seeing Paine's bewildered expression, she turned and said, "It was back when Yunie was talked into getting married to that creepy Seymour guy. You should've seen it- all six of us shooting down from the Highwind, the wind in our faces, guns firing all around us, ready to storm the gates of Bevelle and crack Seymour's head wide open!!"  
  
"Sounds.... interesting," Paine replied in her usual monotone, but her eyes indicated she was mildly impressed.  
  
"We can tell you all about it later," Tidus said. "Right now, we've got work to do. Brother, get that cable ready; we're going up on deck."  
  
"Just a moment!!" Brother jumped out of his chair and faced the back of the cabin. Tidus turned to face him with fire in his eyes and simply asked, "What?"  
  
Brother blinked twice. "I.... Um.... As I was saying, it'll take a moment to ready the anchors, so do not be too frantic to rush out! Give me just a moment," he finished as he hopped back into his control chair. Paine smirked. _That's not what Brother was planning to say,_ she thought to herself.  
  
"All right then, let's get going," Tidus said, opening the bridge door and striding briskly to the lift. Rikku sprinted down the hallway behind him, followed closely by Paine. Before they reached the lift, Paine nudged Rikku's shoulder and whispered, "Looks like Brother could be in danger of losing his Captaincy."  
  
"Sssshhhh, don't let Brother hear you say that," Rikku giggled.  
  
Once they had all assembled on the lift, Tidus punched the Deck button and the platform began the slow climb up to the upper hatch. He folded his arms and stared at the crystal on his right hand. _I haven't heard anything for a while now,_ he thought. _It could just be interference... then again, it could be...._ He lifted his head. "Rikku, you did say you heard it too, right?"  
  
Rikku nodded. "Yep, in my mind."  
  
"Have you heard anything else recently?" His spirits began to fall as she shook her head no; he stared down at the platform and absentmindedly punched the handrail. "Dammit, I don't like this."  
  
"Me neither, but we can't just leap to conclusions yet," Rikku replied. "There could be a million reasons why we haven't heard anything."  
  
"I know, I know......but that doesn't make it any easier." He paced to the front of the platform as the hatchway to the deck ground open, letting in a heady rush of cold air and light drizzle that caused all three of them to flinch. "Let's move out!!" he cried, striding towards the front of the ship.  
  
"Yep, he definitely does have certain qualities our "Captain" is lacking," Paine mused.  
  
"Of course he does," Rikku replied with a smirk. "Star player of the Zanarkand Abes; didn't Yunie tell you?"

* * *

A muffled thump was all the cockpit occupants heard as the starboard bow anchor line fired, its drill-like head gouging into the side of Gagazet. Gippal was looking out the forward windows, watching as the three on deck dove recklessly onto the anchor cable and skated along its length towards the cliff face. "I didn't even get a chance to say good luck...." he sighed, then turned to Shinra. "Hey, I need you to patch me into the Commsphere network, big guy. I've got to get a call in to the Council."  
  
Shinra nodded and pulled up the screen. A few quick keystrokes and the Council commsphere came up on the screen. Gippal could see Nooj and Baralai urgently discussing something when their attention suddenly shot to the sphere. "Gippal! Is that you?" Nooj exclaimed. "Thank the Fayth; last we'd heard from you, the camp was under a fiend assault! I'm guessing you made it out in one piece, right?"  
  
"Well I did anyway, Noojster," Gippal replied. "Some of the diggers weren't so lucky. We lost five good men to those fiends; twelve others and Nhadala all got out on the Celsius but in pretty bad shape. Most of them have bedded down in the engine room for now. On top of that....." He drew in a long breath. "This Malar person we've been hearing about- well, it sounds like he's taken the High Summoner hostage." He nodded grimly as Nooj and Baralai stared at him, wide-eyed. "Right now our Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings are executing a rescue mission at the top of Mount Gagazet......."

* * *

Tidus leaped off the cable and landed in a crouch along the cliff ledge, drawing his sword in the process. Rikku landed next to him and promptly began shivering. "I'm thinking this wasn't the best outfit to wear in this climate," she whined through chattering teeth. "But then again, we never did come up this way this late in the year."  
  
Paine touched down on the ledge and began rubbing her arms to warm up. "Tidus, aren't you cold?"  
  
"I'll be fine," he muttered. "Looks like we're going to get some warm- up exercise anyway," he added, pointing further along the narrow pathway. Rikku and Paine looked up and nodded in agreement; a rather hungry-looking pack of White Fang lupines had begun to gather along the cliff. "I count at least a dozen, maybe more," Tidus muttered grimly.  
  
"These aren't worth our time; let's deal with them and get to that cave!" said Paine as she activated her Grid and traded her lighter warrior garb for the insulation and protection afforded by Dark Knight armor. Rikku was pondering switching out her Thief clothes for something warmer when she noticed Tidus activating his own Grid, emerging in an amalgamation she hadn't seen him use much before. His Blitz trunks had been replaced with deerskin trousers and fur-lined boots, he wore elbow-length hide bracers with four blades protruding over the knuckles, and his shirt had been replaced by a silver wolfskin headdress that draped casually over his back. Black spiked shoulder guards completed the ensemble, and across his bare chest was war paint etched in the form of the Abes team logo. The only thing out of place was the emerald crystal protruding from his right bracer.  
  
"You grabbed a Berserker sphere?" Rikku shouted over the howl of the wind. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"  
  
Tidus looked back with a smile. "I know exactly what I'm doing- whatever it takes!" he shouted, raking his blades against each other and diving headfirst into the pack of White Fangs. The lupines charged forward en masse, saliva dripping from their fangs. "You want some of this, you ugly bastards? Then come get it!!" he growled, springing forward and jamming the blades on his right hand into the pack leader's throat. Using his momentum, he grabbed the fiend by the neck as he rolled over its back, planted his feet on the ground and twisted its head sharply to the right. The pack leader crumpled and dissolved into a cloud of pyreflies, but no sooner had Tidus finished it off when several lupines charged him at once, tearing furrows into his chest and arms. Rikku yelped and leaped into the fray, jamming her daggers into the nearest White Fang and breaking its hold on Tidus' leg. It turned its attention to her and was about to sink its fangs into her arm when Paine's saw-toothed sword flashed through the air, severing its head.  
  
More members of the pack charged forward as Tidus ripped his attackers off in a burst of strength, jammed his claw bracers into their haunches and spun in a circle, flinging both off the cliff and into the darkness below. He gasped in pain as fangs gouged his left arm, trying to dislocate his elbow, but the fiend's grip was broken as Paine jammed her sword into the beast's flank, twisted the blade and ripped it out again. The fiend shrieked, releasing its grip and enabling Tidus to spin around and drive his knee into its lower jaw. Several White Fangs began encircling Rikku, who simply glared at them and crossed her daggers in anticipation. Then something strange began to happen; the crystal on her right hand began to glow bright red. A minute sliver of flame ebbed from its convex surface, finding its way to her daggers' hilts. Rikku's eyes widened and a slow grin emerged as the flame grew brighter and the lupines before her stared in wonder. "Time for a Rikku-style fire dance!" she shouted, brandishing the fiery daggers before her and spinning them in wide arcs. Flame trails danced through the air and suddenly the Al Bhed sprang forward, tearing into the White Fangs with unrelenting determination.  
  
The daggers found their marks with ease, carving through the lupines and setting their pelts ablaze- but not for very long as each successive lupine collapsed and vanished into whiffs of pyreflies. Tidus pressed the attack further on another section of the pack, tearing into the White Fangs' pelts with reckless abandon. Paine drew her sword across her forearm, gritting her teeth against the sensation, then slammed the bloodied blade to the ground, felling well over half a dozen lupines with a Darkness wave. Soon only three or four of the beasts remained, and of these, only one was strong enough- or stupid enough- to face the attackers. It charged Rikku directly, who promptly stepped to one side and raked her flaming daggers across its flank. The beast roared in agony and smashed its foreleg across her torso, knocking the wind out of her, then turned to face Paine who promptly channeled eldritch energies into her sword and bludgeoned the beast over the snout with the flat of the blade.  
  
The fiend staggered back and she was hoping she had confused it, but it glared up at her and attacked with renewed zeal. She dropped to the ground as the lupine landed on top of her, trying to rip her throat out, when all at once Tidus grappled the fiend around the abdomen and yanked it away, flinging it against the side of the cliff face. It shook its head and struggled up, but Tidus was already on top of it, driving his blades into the beast and tearing wicked gouges into its flesh. The fiend took a desperate swipe at him, carving a gash over his forehead- and that was the last thing it ever did. Its eyes went wide as Rikku plunged her daggers, still aflame, into its back and slammed it to the ground. With a gurgle, it collapsed and met the same fate as its pack mates. The remaining lupines, having seen enough, turned tail and scattered, looking for prey that wasn't quite so lethal.  
  
Tidus dropped to one knee and let out a heavy sigh. "That oughta teach them to mess with us," he muttered as he punched a sphere on his Grid and returned to his usual clothing. Blood trickled down from the gash on his forehead, which he wiped away brusquely before standing up again. The wind began to pick up, sending great howls echoing across the mountainside.  
  
"Looks like they got you pretty bad; you need a potion?" Rikku asked, the fire still dancing along her blades.  
  
"Not yet; save it for when we have to face off against something big." He grabbed his sword off his back and started for the cliff's makeshift steps when their headset radios began crackling.  
  
"Hey guys, you doing alright out there?" Buddy's voice was cutting in and out and there was a lot of static coming through the earpiece. "We've got a situation here; some of that cloud-to-cloud lightning is playing havoc with the instrumentation, not to mention the wind is picking up something awful. This keeps up, we're not gonna be able to hang around much longer."  
  
"How much longer do you think you have?" asked Paine. "I'd say a couple minutes, tops," was Buddy's furtive reply. The static was making it hard to hear, but it sounded like Brother was having a conniption in the background.  
  
"Look, don't hang around if it's going to risk the ship," Tidus said into his headset. "If it's getting really bad, detach the anchor cable and get down to a lower altitude. Land near the base if you have to, we'll catch up later."  
  
"Um.... How are we gonna do that? Climb down through the storm?" Rikku asked.  
  
"Those teleport pads down Gagazet should still be working, right?" Tidus replied. "We can take those down once we've taken care of business here."  
  
"Oh, DUH! How could I forget something like that?" Paine smirked at the comment but said nothing.  
  
"We'll worry about getting down the mountain later. Let's go find Yuna," said Tidus as he began hauling himself up the side of the cliff. Rikku followed suit, as did Paine.  
  
It took them longer than they expected to scale the side of the cliff; not only were the winds picking up to the point where the rain and snow was falling sideways, they still had to deal with the occasional not-so-bright fiend along the way. Tidus didn't bother assuming Berserker form again; it was a form he had serious reservations against since he didn't always feel in control. Fortunately there was no real need, as Caladbolg made short work of most of the fiends they ran across. Rikku didn't seem to mind the freezing weather quite as much, as the power of Vora's crystal appeared to warm her body as well as her blades.  
  
Gradually they made their way to the upper ridges and ducked into the cave Shinra had indicated, breathing collective sighs of relief and wiping themselves as dry as could be expected. Tidus grabbed a handful of slush and prodded at the gash on his temple; the bleeding had stopped but it was still tender. The flames on Rikku's daggers extinguished themselves as she resheathed them on her hips, then took a step or two to steady herself as the crystal's power faded. "Boy, you were right- these things are a bit of a drain on you!" she said, taking a deep breath. "Now what's our next step?" she asked as she looked up into the depths of the cave.  
  
The cave extended several yards and ended. With the exception of themselves and a large boulder at the other end, there was nothing inside.  
  
Tidus stared blankly ahead. "This is it?" he asked, stepping further into the cave. "This is the cave Shinra pointed out, right?" The others nodded. He glanced around the walls, the ceiling, the floor, but nothing was jumping out. He began to pace frantically, feeling the near wall with his hand gingerly, then tapping with his knuckles. "This isn't right....." he said in a low voice, crossing to the far wall and tapping again, hoping to locate a door or hidden passage. "If the waves came from here, then where is she??" His voice was rising and he began to punch the wall viciously with his right hand. Flecks of stone fell to the ground and his knuckles started to bleed, but no doors were revealed. "Damn you, Malar, is this some kind of a sick joke? Where is she?" he shouted. He dashed across to the opposing wall and slammed his shoulder against it, to no avail. Paine shook her head slowly and Rikku wrung her hands as Tidus paced to the back of the room and slammed both palms against the boulder resting on the back wall. "This isn't fair......" he said in a strangled voice. "I know what I heard; I know she's here somewhere!!"  
  
_So dark......._  
  
Tidus' eyes snapped open. There it was again, a sound in his mind. He glanced at the crystal on his hand; the sliver of aqua was there again, slowly dancing its way across the emerald surface. He glanced back and saw that Rikku was staring at the crystal on her own hand. She looked up with her eyes wide and nodded.  
  
_So cold, so dark... I can't move, I can't go anywhere. I can't do anything... Alone, I'm all alone, I don't know if anyone can even hear me......._ The voice was low and filled with sadness, but it was hers. Tidus stared at the boulder in front of him and wiped a stray tear away from his cheek. "Ferro, give me a hand with this!" he cried, placing his hands on the rock.  
  
"It is yours, Master Tidus." The Earth Crystal's voice echoed in the small cave as the crystal glowed brilliant green. The boulder began to shudder, then crack, then finally split. A great emerald rift opened in the boulder, into which Tidus jammed his fingers and pulled in opposing directions. A massive cracking sound permeated the cave, causing Rikku to wince and Paine to stare in wonder. A quick motion, and the boulder broke apart in two halves, shooting across the floor and colliding with the side walls with unusual force. The green aura around each piece slowly faded, as did the light from the crystal. For a few moments, Tidus just stood there catching his breath, his arms thrust out to either side. Where the boulder had been, they could now see a tunnel leading further into Gagazet. A scintillating blue light ebbed from the far end of the passage.  
  
"Just like that creep to play games with us like this," Paine muttered. Rikku nodded, but Tidus didn't seem to hear her. He took a deep breath and started to sprint down the tunnel. "Hey, wait for us!" Rikku called, stumbling a bit and then breaking into a run as well. Paine shouldered her sword and followed as fast as her Dark armor would permit.  
  
The tunnel curved to the right abruptly, forcing them to slow down briefly before continuing towards the source of the blue light. The walls made a subtle transition from the rough, gray, dull stone of the outer chamber into smoother, white limestone. Faint clouds of dust arose as three sets of feet pounded the ground towards the far end. Gradually, the tunnel widened and the glow became brighter, spurring Tidus and the others to pick up the pace even more. Then all at once, the passageway terminated and they found themselves in a great circular limestone chamber. Elegant carved pillars encircled the room, and what wall space was available bore the faded reliefs of what were once depictions of heavenly beings, but which were now hardly recognizable as anything one might see in Spira. In the direct center of the room was a towering blue crystalline mass in the form of a teardrop or candle flame. Eldritch lights appeared to dance within it, illuminating the room in a cerulean glow and revealing a female form sealed within.  
  
"Yuna!!" Tidus dashed forward and placed both hands on the monolith, staring into its depths. Her arms were relaxed, her eyes shut. The half- skirt she wore on her left hip appeared to be frozen in place, giving her a windblown appearance that never ceased. He could vaguely make out the Water Crystal still on her right hand, but its light was dim and sputtering. He stared at the great blue monstrosity and shook his head. "What in the name of the Fayth did he do to you?"  
  
"Yunie's still alive in there, right?" Rikku asked in a trembling voice. "I mean, we heard her again and all, didn't we?"  
  
"It could be that thing is keeping her in a form of magic sleep," said Paine as she stepped forward. "The only question is, how to get her out of it."  
  
Tidus tapped the surface lightly. It was cool to the touch and felt as solid as quartz crystals. "It sure as hell feels like rock," he said in a low tone. "Let's see if Malar counted on his little prison standing up to THIS!" He jammed his right hand forward and a beam of green light burst forth from the crystal, barreling into the base of the monolith. Sweat began to trickle down his temples as he poured everything he had into the beam, which was blinding by now. Rikku shielded her eyes and tried to get an idea of what was happening, when suddenly the green light faded and Tidus fell to one knee, breathing hard. The blue quartz structure was unfazed.  
  
"I don't get it.... Why can't I mold its form? I did it before in Bikanel and again just outside, why isn't it working?" he gasped.  
  
_ I cannot mold that which is not in my domain,_ Ferro's voice echoed in his mind. _What you see before you is a perversion of Elemental Water, Master. Against that, I can do little.  
_  
Tidus stared. "Elemental..... Water?" he sputtered. "It's not made up of rock, but ice??"  
  
Rikku strode forward, setting her jaw and slapping her right knuckles against her left palm. "Let me give it a shot!" she said. "Rock or ice, let's see how well it stands up to fire!!!" She shot her right palm forward and a stream of flames issued forth, battering the crystal prison with unmitigated ferocity. Tidus backed away and watched as the monolith became engulfed in fire, hoping against hope that it would do the trick. Paine circled around, subtly activating her Grid and assuming the guise of a Gun Mage. Seconds seemed to turn into minutes as the gout of fire continued to surge forward, until eventually Rikku swayed and staggered, terminating the flames and dropping to one knee to catch her breath.  
  
The monolith was still standing, unmarred and with no trace anything had tried to damage it.  
  
"Damn it....." Tidus muttered in shock, then staggered forward, drawing Caladbolg back. "DAMN YOU!" he cried, driving his blade across the sloped side of the monolith desperately. Sparks flew from his sword, but the prison remained undamaged and silently taunting. With one final swing, Tidus collapsed next to the crystalline wall and dropped his sword to one side. "What am I supposed to do now?" His voice was raspy, trying desperately to hold back tears.  
  
"No wonder we can't do anything to it; that bastard really thought this through."  
  
Rikku and Tidus looked up at Paine, who was staring at the scanner readout of her gun. "That block of ice would ordinarily respond to fire, but according to this it's been warped by some form of black magic." She stared at the monolith with hardened eyes. "From what I understand, it responds only to two things. An 'unlisted' factor I can't identify with a scan, or its own elemental power. And not just a simple Water or Ice spell- something stronger than ordinary black magic would be needed." She lowered her eyes to the floor. "Which means the only way to get Yuna out is on her own hand."  
  
Rikku stared at the monolith, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "You mean we can't get her out? There's nothing we can do but just stand here and let Malar get away with this?" she whimpered.  
  
"No." Tidus dragged himself to his feet, wiping his own tears away. "I'm not going to accept that. There's always a way- we've just got to keep trying." He stepped slowly to the very front of the monolith and looked up at Yuna's sleeping form. "You and I both heard her call out, Rikku. She called us through the crystals." He dropped to one knee and held his right hand up beside his face. "I have to answer that call."  
  
Rikku sniffled a bit. "Wha- what are you going to do?"  
  
Tidus closed his eyes. "I'm going to try and reach her mind with my own." The crystal on his hand glowed bright green as he lapsed into a deep meditation. He took a deep breath and let his mind flow.  
  
_Yuna, can you hear me?_ He felt himself say the words, though his lips did not move. _Yuna, you're not alone; I heard your whistle! I know you were calling to us, and we're here!_ His mind drifted further, blotting out the sights and sounds around him. He began to feel a great darkness enveloping him, but he ignored it and pressed on.  
  
_Yuna, don't give up, please! I swore we would be together always, and I won't stand by and let Malar destroy everything we are to each other! You have to wake up; your body's been imprisoned and your crystal is the only one that can break the seal!_ He felt the darkness waver slightly. _Yuna, please hear me! I'm not giving up on you now or ever! You have to wake up!_  
  
The silence continued. Seconds stretched into minutes. Tidus still held his hand aloft, the crystal's glow intensifying. Paine stood to one side, not knowing what to make of it. Rikku wrung her hands and bit her lip nervously. Neither of them were party to what Tidus was saying, but both knew he was trying with all his might.  
  
A flicker of light caught Rikku's eye. She glanced at the monolith- and suddenly stared. The crystal on the back of Yuna's hand was beginning to glow, faintly at first, then brighter.  
  
"Ur so funt.... ed'c naymmo fungehk...." she whispered breathlessly.  
  
Translation: Oh my word.... it's really working....  
  
A crack shot along the front of the monolith. Tidus' eyes snapped open and he stared up, watching as another crack emerged in the surface. A third appeared, then a fourth, until a rapid spider web of fissures was shooting across the face of the aqualine prison. The crystal on Yuna's hand grew brighter and suddenly the front face of the monolith shattered and a torrent of Arctic water surged forth from within. Rikku yelped and scrambled to one side, but Tidus stayed rooted to the spot, hardly fazed as the deluge washed over him. Yuna began to fall forward, carried by the force of the water, when Tidus stepped forward and caught her in a tight embrace. The waters washed across the surface of the room, gradually calming themselves and forming a shallow pool in the middle of the chamber. What was left of the monolith quickly dissipated, leaving behind a low pillar from which a white light was glowing.  
  
Yuna drew in a long sobbing breath, coughing a few times. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up, taking in the sight of Tidus' bloodstained forehead and his familiar sky-blue eyes. A swell of emotion surged through her and she flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder as he held her close.  
  
"You came for me.... I was so afraid you wouldn't hear me," she cried into his chest. "It.... It was horrible, the darkness everywhere, nowhere to go and nothing I could do....And then I heard your voice calling out to me. You brought me back."  
  
"I would've moved heaven and earth to save you if I had to," he whispered to her, fresh tears streaking his face. Rikku sniffled and even Paine's eyes were damp.  
  
"S-so cold....." Yuna began to shiver and her knees went weak. Rikku dashed over and put her hand on Yuna's arm. "Oh no, her skin's like ice!" she gasped. "We've gotta get outta here and get her warmed up fast!"  
  
Tidus scooped her up in his arms, holding her close to his chest. "We're going to need blankets or a campfire, or both!"  
  
"No luck on blankets, they're back on the Celsius!" said Rikku. "I could try and use Vora's fire power, but I don't want to risk burning Yunie and we don't really have any wood or tinder!"  
  
"The hot spring," Paine piped up. "It's just a little way from the cave; we can have her there in no time."  
  
"Huh? There's a hot spring up here?" Tidus asked with a confused look on his face.  
  
"Guess we never told you about that," Rikku said. "Let's get over there!" Kicking up splashes of water, the Gullwings made their way out of the chamber- except for Paine, who lingered for a moment and then strode over to the pedestal in the middle of the room. Sitting on top was a perfectly round, convex crystal lens that shone brilliant white.  
  
"Better safe than sorry," she muttered, grabbing the lens and dashing down the tunnel to join the others.  
  
To Be Continued.  
  
[A/N: I made a few changes here and there as I wrote this chapter, but all in all I'm satisfied with it. Hope it meets people's expectations. The next chapter may take a while as I'm working on something else this week, but I will have another part ready soon. It may not be quite as long, but we'll see. Look for another familiar face or two! -Neon Ronin] 


	12. Then There Were Four

[A/N: Thanks for the continued support of this haphazard endeavor. The usual disclaimer applies. Showtime. ]  
  
Chapter 12: Then There Were Four  
  
Malar's head jerked up and his eyes went wide. "I did not just feel that," he growled, opening his right palm in front of his face. A violet gem emerged from his hand, projecting a flickering image before him. His eyes beheld an empty chamber decorated with limestone pillars, a small pedestal in the middle of the room, and little else. He snapped his fingers shut, cutting off the image abruptly as a tattoo of rage pervaded his visage.  
  
"Impossible!" he expectorated. "There is no conceivable way her spirit would have been strong enough to break that prison! She should have been broken long before now!" He strode furiously across the remains of the Agency and kicked the door off its one remaining hinge. "That little WENCH!!!" he bellowed into the expanses of the Plains, which were once again being wracked with lightning and heavy rain. He gritted his teeth together and slammed his left forearm into the door frame, shattering the wood and a good portion of the wall as well.  
  
"These interloping children are becoming more of a nuisance than I thought they would be," he said to himself in a low tone. His crimson eyes turned southwards, carefully surveying the indigo aura surrounding a gargantuan mass of unidentifiable roiling fiend flesh. At first glance it resembled little more than a great soft-shelled snake egg, oblong with mottled violet-gray shadings. Closer inspection revealed the trace lines of limbs within the egg, outlines that could be interpreted as reptilian arms and legs. The conglomeration within was pulsing gently, faint movements suggesting it was breathing. A section shuddered and a menacing orange orb within slowly grew visible- an eye opening. The aura containing the egg-like mass shuddered and swelled as the egg seemed to expand and grow ever so slightly.  
  
"It is almost time, my precious masterpiece," Malar purred dangerously. "Soon you will be ready to spearhead our revenge. In the meantime....." He made a short, sharp gesture in the direction of the nearest lightning tower, which- like most of the towers- was now covered with disgusting black polyps larger than a man. Several of the black sacs burst open, showering the ground with rancid turquoise slime. Out of the ruptured sacs sprang human-sized gargoyle-like fiends, flexing their leathery wings and breathing bluish flame from their draconic mouths. "It is time for more of you to join the fight, my beloved Wrathfangs," Malar shouted into the rain. Turning back to the mammoth egg, he opened his hand again, calling forth a different image.  
  
"Neogas. It appears granting you dominion over the ruined castle was a good move after all. Deploy the Wrathfangs at your disposal; those meddlesome brats are making a mess of things. Kill them all." He paused for a moment. "I don't even care if the girl dies anymore. The Four must not be brought to bear on us." The image vanished and he clenched his hand as more and more of the Wrathfangs burst forth from their hatching sacs. Several stood upright and strode towards Malar, dropping to one knee as they reached him.  
  
"Now let the hills run red." A wicked smile passed his lips.

* * *

Yuna was only vaguely aware of the sound of running feet around her as numbness threatened to overwhelm her body. She could feel Tidus' arms cradling her and the cold winds that cut into her skin like a knife. Her whole body was shaking and it was getting hard for her to breathe. "Just hang on, it's going to be all right..." she heard him whisper in her ear; just beyond she could make out Rikku's panicked voice asking him what she could do to help. They were running along a ledge, that much she could make out from the blurred shapes around her. A quick shift in position and the wind stopped flaying her arms and legs, and she realized he had turned to shield her with his back and with the cliff wall next to them. She struggled to take a deep breath, finding it easier now that the winds were no longer directly in her face. Then suddenly the winds stopped and she could barely make out a warmth in the air that hadn't been there before.  
  
Their pace slowed down and she felt the sensation of two sets of hands moving across her, undoing buckles and laces. With surprising speed, Rikku unlaced and yanked off her boots while Tidus detached the utility belt and side skirt at her waist. The belt fell to the ground with a clatter as her guns worked themselves loose and landed on her equipment pouch. She felt herself being hoisted into the air again, and this time she could feel Tidus' heart racing in his chest.  
  
He strode forward into the hot spring with her in his arms, getting a short distance in before lowering her gently into the water. Tingling sensations shot through her body and she gasped for breath. "It's okay, Yuna, I'm here. It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He shrugged his armored glove off and stroked her hair tenderly, cradling her with his right arm. Gradually her breathing returned to normal and the color returned to her face. He shifted his position so that he was sitting in the spring up to his chest and holding her on his lap. The initial shock of the hot water faded as her muscles relaxed and the bitter chills evaporated.  
  
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rikku asked as she kneeled down by the spring, next to the two of them.  
  
Yuna opened her eyes, looking up into Tidus' own, and broke into a smile as new tears started to form. "I.... I don't think I've ever felt better in my life." She leaned back, resting her head upon his chest as he wrapped his right arm around her waist.  
  
"Thank the Fayth; we were all worried sick, Yunie!" Rikku jumped off the ledge she was sitting on and into the spring, throwing her arms around Yuna's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're alright," she said with a lump in her throat. Yuna giggled a bit and put her right arm around Rikku's back, hugging her in return.  
  
"Maybe you'd better give her some air, Rikku," said Paine from the side of the cavern, a bemused tone in her voice. Rikku blinked, then shook her head and loosened the hug while moving to Yuna's right side. "Sorry, guess I got a bit carried away," she said.  
  
Yuna giggled. "Don't worry about it, Rikku." Tidus just smiled.  
  
"I have to admit, normally when a person is soaked and has hypothermia you don't take them fully clothed into a hot spring," Paine interjected. "Normally you'd make sure that person's wet garments had a chance to dry while she warmed up."  
  
"Hey, c'mon Paine, give him a little break, huh? So he was being a gentleman, big deal!" Rikku said, standing up in the water. Yuna started to blush furiously and she could tell Tidus was doing the same.  
  
"I'm just saying, is all," Paine replied. "There's a time for being a gentleman and a time when you don't have a moment to consider things like decorum."  
  
"Paine, please....." groaned Tidus. Yuna put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle a giggle.  
  
"Anyway, that's not important right now. There's something else we need to figure out," Paine continued, kneeling by the spring and digging a hand into her hip pocket. She produced the white lens she had procured from the chamber, which was still scintillating with a pale light.  
  
Yuna's eyes went wide. "Paine, is that what I think it is?" Paine nodded. "Where did you find that?"  
  
"It was on a pedestal inside that block of ice we found you in," Paine said. "My guess is that jackoff Malar was trying to seal away you and this crystal at the same time. Trap you and it in a dream prison so that neither crystal can be used." She paused. "Speaking of which, what happened in that monolith anyhow?"  
  
"Yeah, we could hear your voice from time to time, through our crystals," Rikku piped up, pointing at the Fire Crystal on the back of her hand. "It sounded awful; what was he doing to you, Yunie?"  
  
Yuna shuddered. "I.... I don't really know. I didn't feel like I was trapped at first, it felt like I was in a great plain of.....of nothing. I couldn't see anything, I could feel the crystal on my hand but couldn't get it to do anything- and then......" Her head lowered, staring at the surface of the water. "Then I saw something. It looked like an amethyst or some other kind of gem, hanging in the air, but then......." She leaned back into Tidus' chest as she recounted being accosted by Malar. Nothing was left out- the forms he had assumed, the tale he had spun, his hatred of the Summoner's arts, the shock at realizing her concert in the plains had been noticed by him. Paine folded her arms and nodded grimly as Yuna described it. Rikku bit her lower lip. Tidus said nothing but held her close, shaking his head.  
  
"Unforgivable," he said at length. "It wasn't enough he took you away from us, he had to rip into your mind as well?"  
  
"Bastard," Paine muttered. "He actually looked and sounded like 'Lord' Seymour, and then like Shuyin?"  
  
"I never even felt him in my mind until he made his presence know," said Yuna. "I was terrified at first, but when I realized it was him my blood started to boil." She shifted her position, pulling Tidus' arm across her right shoulder and lacing their fingers together. "I tried to fight my way out, but nothing seemed to work. I couldn't feel Naia's presence, I couldn't even touch him. All I could do was stand there as he berated his former master- and me as well." Her eyes dropped, gazing into the water. "His eyes- they were so cold, they felt like they were going to tear right through me."  
  
"Yunie......" Rikku said in a low voice.  
  
"Hey Rikku," said Paine as she stood up, "I'm going to need a little help examining this lens, just to make sure we've got the right one and see if we can't get it awakened. Give me a hand, will you?" She started heading for the cave entrance. "We'd also better try and contact the Celsius and let them know we're all okay. Reception's better outside the cave." Rikku blinked and was about to start arguing when she noticed Paine throw her a surreptitious wink.  
  
"Um, yeah! Sure thing Paine, just gimme a second to catch up!" She sloshed her way out of the hot spring and turned back to rummage in her equipment pouch. "This won't take long you two, we'll be right outside if you need anything!" she said, clipping her headset radio back in place and following Paine. Tidus nodded, turning his attention back to Yuna.  
  
Rikku rounded the sheltered cliff just outside the entrance to the spring, ducking into a nearby alcove where Paine was leaning against the rock with the crystal in her right hand. "You think the weather's actually going to allow us to reach the guys?" she asked. "Or was it just a plausible reason for us to both be out of their way?" she continued with a sly grin on her face.  
  
Paine looked at Rikku and actually laughed a bit. "I can't tell if we'll be able to reach them or not, but we do need to try and contact Brother at least," she replied. "He's probably frantic right now. And we do need to examine the crystal anyway." She glanced back to the hot spring entrance. "Fact is, right now they just need some together time without us butting in."  
  
The crystal in her hand began to pulse and tendrils of electricity began to play across her fingers and arm. Rikku and Paine both stared as the sparks intensified and a faint whistling sound emerged from the lens. A gust shot out of the center, catching some of the errant snowflakes in the vicinity and spinning them in a miniature cyclone. White light began to coalesce within the cone of air, gradually taking the form of a man. His long ivory hair danced about his head like a nest of serpents, and he appeared to be clad in robes made of fine white silk.  
  
He looked at the two of them emotionlessly and said simply, "I am Strahl. Keeper of the Crystal of Air. The time has come and the Immortal has risen, has he not?"  
  
Paine nodded. "He knows we've been seeking out the Four, as he called you. We're running out of time."  
  
Strahl gazed at Paine levelly, the hint of a smile toying across his face. "So it has come to this. One who shares the ruby eyes of Malar will stand and fight against him. That seems rather.... poetic." Paine lowered her eyes slightly, looking away from the man in white.  
  
"I didn't ask for these eyes," she said in a low tone. "I don't care if I am part of some bloodline that traces itself to him, all I care about right now is having the power to grind him into the ground. I'm not going to let him get away with what he did."  
  
"Yeah! We're gonna take the fight to that creep and show him nobody messes with YTRP!!" Rikku said enthusiastically.  
  
"Um.... Rikku, I thought we all agreed four months ago that YTRP sounded a bit silly."  
  
"No, we just couldn't agree on where to put Tidus' initial in when he joined; if I remember correctly you said they all sounded silly!" Rikku retorted, folding her arms and mock-pouting.  
  
Paine sighed. "Somehow it seemed easier when it was just YRP....."  
  
"May we return to the matter at hand?" said Strahl in a low, serious tone. He gazed into Paine's eyes as one might appraise a fine painting. "Yes.... There's power there, no doubt about it. Independent, I like that.....and an overwhelming desire to soar to great heights. You are indeed worthy of my power- if you are prepared to face a foe of your own blood."  
  
Paine nodded, a determined scowl crossing her brow. "I was born ready."

* * *

"It wasn't until he left that it became nearly unbearable," Yuna said softly as she rested her head on Tidus' shoulder. "He told me the only company I would have would be my memories- and then they started appearing before my eyes." She drew in a deep breath. "I don't know how, but I was reliving all the bad times I'd ever experienced.....I tried to fight it, but all I could do was run endlessly, I couldn't stop it. And then when I had to relive that day of Sin's defeat....." Her voice became raspy as she tried to hold back tears. "I was watching you vanish before my eyes all over again," she whispered, and the tears came as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Tidus pulled her closer, gently caressing the back of her head with his right hand.  
  
"I wish I could've gotten here sooner," he said in a pained voice. "You shouldn't have had to go through that at all. I'm so sorry...."  
  
Yuna sniffled a bit. "Malar's the one who should apologize, not you," she said. She nuzzled up against his neck and for a few moments they sat together in silence, unspoken words passing between them.  
  
"He'll be on the warpath soon, you know," she finally said. "Once he realizes his 'trophy' isn't standing still anymore, it's going to get ugly. And I don't think we're going to be able to just seal him away this time."  
  
"I know," said Tidus. "I just wish we had something to target, some weakness of his. We can't just keep fighting him only to have him regenerate and hit us even harder. We have to put him away for good."  
  
Yuna looked up. "The Jewel of Entropy."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"He told me in his ravings that he discovered something called the Jewel of Entropy, and that it could bend the natural laws," she continued. "I'm starting to think that that's where his agelessness and regeneration come from, so if we can locate that, we could take him out permanently." She paused. "But first we'd have to actually find it, and he most likely won't make it easy."  
  
"Could he have buried it somewhere, like a Fayth statue?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Maybe, but I doubt it. It must be somewhere on him. Maybe in those gold bracers he wears."  
  
"Possibly." He stroked the small of her back gently. "All I know is I want to make sure he can never do what he did to you ever again." She looked up into his eyes as he continued. "When he pulled you away from us on Bikanel I thought my heart was going to rip in two. I felt so helpless; there wasn't anything I could do to stop him. But I knew that no matter what it took, I was going to find you and bring you back. And I wasn't going to let him or any of those fiends of his stand in my way."  
  
Yuna smiled. "Deep down, I knew you'd find me. Even in the darkness when I was so close to giving up hope, a little voice in me told me you'd be there." He returned the smile and they hugged each other tightly, letting the hot spring waters wash over them.  
  
"This spring feels so good," Yuna sighed.  
  
"I know, it really chases the chills away," Tidus replied. A moment later Yuna started giggling. "Huh? What's up?"  
  
"I was just thinking that Paine was right about something- it's gonna take a while to dry our clothes out after we've been soaking in them like this," said Yuna. Her blue eye twinkled slightly.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I'd almost forgotten about that," Tidus chuckled. "So what're we going to do?"  
  
"Hmmmm.." Yuna reached up and undid the clasp that held her pink hood around her neck. "Let me try something," she said, holding it in her right hand and concentrating. The crystal glimmered faint blue and began pulling water out of the cloth and into its convex surface. In seconds the hood was dry.  
  
"Well, that's a novel use for an elemental weapon if ever I saw one," Tidus quipped, and they both started laughing.  
  
"Of course, drying each item of clothing separately would take time......and since I'm not quite ready to get out of the spring yet....." Yuna drawled, a coy look on her face as she slipped her yellow arm bands off, one at a time. A slow smile began to work its way across Tidus' face.  
  
"Why, Lady Yuna," he said in a mock-surprised tone. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" She giggled in response and ran her fingers along his chest. "You... you really want to?" he asked, a bit more seriously.  
  
"We are the only ones here, you know- Paine and Rikku won't be back for a while," she whispered, undoing one of the clasps on his overalls.  
  
"Well, what kind of gentleman would I be if I refused a lady's request," Tidus said with a smile as he drew her closer to him. He kissed her neck, then her cheek, eliciting contented sighs until their lips met. A low moan escaped Yuna's throat as she parted her lips, kissing him more passionately and running her hands across his chest and arms. Gradually the garments separating them slipped away, pried loose and set aside by each other's tender caresses. Once more their worries faded away; for that moment, all that mattered was the joy they found in each other's arms.

* * *

Rikku tapped her headset radio in annoyance. "No good, I'm still just getting a load of static," she grumbled, flopping down on the ground and hugging her knees.  
  
"Try again in a few minutes; I think the storm may be letting up," Paine replied. She examined the new adornment on her right hand- the long black glove she normally wore had turned a shade of light gray, accentuated with black onyx studs along the knuckles and near the elbow. The Air Crystal rested on the back of her hand and was glowing a pale white-gold hue.  
  
"I dunno, Paine, I've been trying the last half an hour to contact Brother, and the most I've gotten is a few syllables. He sounded pretty pissed."  
  
"Maybe he's just sleepy. It is nearly midnight, after all."  
  
"Could be." Rikku leaned back against the rock and toyed with one of her daggers, using the Fire Crystal's energy to summon a minute flame that danced along the blade. "I hope Gippal's alright.... And Nhadala, and the others. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye before we disembarked...." She looked out of the alcove at the night sky beyond and sighed.  
  
"You really do like him, don't you." Rikku glanced over at Paine with an odd look in her eyes. "It's alright, I won't tell," Paine continued as she shifted her position.  
  
Rikku sighed. "Well..... We've known each other since we were kids.....and he can be a nice guy once he stops clowning around and acting full of himself....but....." She squirmed uncomfortably and kicked her legs out, scattering a few pebbles petulantly. "You know, maybe I should go check on Yunie and see if she's feeling better," she finally said, getting to her feet.  
  
"I'd leave them be a while longer if I were you," Paine said quickly, not bothering to stand up. "Unless you want to repeat that little 'walk- in' you pulled on Kilika." Rikku's eyes went wide and her face went red.  
  
"Hey! I thought I asked you not to bring that up again!"  
  
"No, you asked me not to tell anybody else. You never said not to bring it up again."  
  
"Sheesh, it was just a little slip of the mind back there! Just an accident!"  
  
"What was an accident?" Rikku froze, then spun around to see Yuna approaching the alcove with Tidus on her arm. Their clothes showed no sign that they had been soaked through, but were clean and dry.  
  
"Oh, Yunie! Um, I was just....er....telling Paine about something that happened when Gippal and me were kids! See, we thought we could get this one machina working all by ourselves, but when it got out of control and crashed this idiot named Traab said we wrecked it on purpose, and it was all really just one big accident!" Rikku stammered, finishing with an uneasy giggle. Paine rolled her eyes.  
  
"So Yunie, are you feeling better now?" Rikku continued. "Much better," Yuna replied with a smile.  
  
"Good, because we need to get going before-" Paine started, but was interrupted by a sudden rumble over their heads. One by one they stepped out of the alcove and glanced up at the cliffs above. "What was that?" Rikku asked in a nervous tone.  
  
The rumble came again. "That sure doesn't sound like thunder," said Tidus grimly. Dark shadows began moving across the cliff face and they could barely make out the outlines of winged creatures circling above their position. Clattering sounds echoed along the rocks as winged humanoid forms emerged on ledges close to where they were standing, their taloned feet gouging vicious prints in the loose soil.  
  
Yuna glared at the fiendish forms. "He sure didn't waste any time finding us!" she growled, yanking her guns out of her belt and drawing a bead on the closest fiend. She chambered an explosive-tipped Burst Shot round and pulled the trigger; the bullet screeched through the air and tore through the fiend's wing joint. It screamed in agony, plummeting to the lower reaches of Gagazet. Tidus and Rikku each had their blades out and readied as the other fiends- now easily recognizable as Wrathfangs- began a rapid approach on their position. Suddenly a flash of white light erupted close to them, causing them to shield their eyes and the fiends to briefly stagger back. Paine held her right hand aloft as her crystal shone a brilliant gold, sparks literally surging from her eyes. "Bye," she muttered softly as a vicious whine broke loose from the Air Crystal and multiple tendrils of lightning leaped forth, tearing the flesh of the Wrathfangs nearest to them and reducing them to myriad clouds of pyreflies.  
  
The creatures stared in amazement but recovered quickly, resuming their advance. "We can't deal with all these uglies at once, we've gotta get outta here!!" Rikku shouted, pointing to the narrow trail down Gagazet that had just been cleared by Paine's crystal. Yuna nodded and she and Tidus locked hands, scrambling down the rocks at a rapid pace. Rikku followed suit, as did Paine who took a few seconds to reorient herself before sprinting down with the others. The Wrathfangs began dropping out of the sky and onto the side of Gagazet, clawing their way after the four rapidly descending Gullwings. The storm had thinned out, making it easier for them to see where they were going, but also meant their pursuers could track them easily as well.  
  
They charged down the mountainside, jumping over rocks and chasms in their way with near-inhuman speed as the sounds of Wrathfang growls and screeches echoed closer and closer. Once Rikku whipped around and unleashed a burst of fire from her own crystal to slow the fiends' progress, but that aside she and the others refused to stop running. Yuna's legs began to burn as she pushed herself to the limit, her mind drifting back to the dream she had had so many months before. They had been running in that dream too, but this time the pursuers were far worse than Yevonite guards and the terrain much rougher and inhospitable than the Bevelle Underground.  
  
They jumped down another ledge, catching sight of the stone arches that led to the lower reaches of Gagazet, but their attention ran first to the veritable platoon of Wrathfangs that stood before them. They drummed their feet to a halt and glanced around them. Their initial pursuers were slowing their descent, while still more hovered in the sky just next to the cliff. A disgusting burble further behind them caused them to glance back, only to notice two half-flan, half-lich Morlachs closing in from the rear. The four of them repositioned themselves back-to-back in a square formation, trying to discern an avenue of escape. There was none. In attempting to escape to the lower foothills they had been herded into a trap.  
  
"Looks like this is where we make our stand," Paine muttered, hoisting her sword.  
  
"I'm not going to let it end here," said Yuna as she brandished her pistols at the horde around them.  
  
A massive blue-black apelike fiend strode slowly forward, joining the ranks of the Wrathfangs and the two Morlachs. "You have angered Master far too long, puny humans," he rumbled, crossing his arms triumphantly. "Master knew his prize must be guarded, and now that she is loose, he wishes that Neogas fix the problem," he continued, pointing to his chest. "Once I have vanquished you, Master will be most pleased." He gestured to the fiends near him and was about to speak once more when suddenly there was a loud crack from further along the path- followed by a massive mid-air explosion near the side of the cliff, tearing almost all the airborne fiends to shreds.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Tidus shouted, his eyes darting left and right to find the source of the explosion. The Wrathfangs to their front began shifting and staring further down the mountain, when suddenly there was a vicious growling roar and a flash of golden steel, followed by a terrific semicircular wave of energy which cut into the platoon of fiends and tossed them into the air like rag dolls. Tidus blinked and suddenly broke into a smile. Standing where the fiends had stood was a tall heavily muscled figure, his indigo fur flecked with ice and an angry scowl on his face. He twirled his gold feathered lance menacingly and glared at the fiends atop the plateau.  
  
"Sacred Mount Gagazet will not welcome those who threaten friends of Ronso. Threaten High Summoner Yuna, face the wrath of Ronso Elder!!" he bellowed, striding forward with fire in his eyes.  
  
"Kimahri!!!" Yuna cried. Just then another figure emerged from behind him, glancing around the cliff and brandishing the massive machina dual weapon he affectionately referred to as the 30 mm. 'Fiendgrinder'. He squeezed a button and the circular blade on one end began spinning furiously, sparks flying in all directions.  
  
"Looks like my hunch was right about fiend activity," Gippal said with a deathly scowl on his face. "Let's bring it!!!"  
  
To Be Continued.......  
  
[A/N: Another chapter that was tricky to write; as I get further in the story I keep changing my mind on how things should turn out. Hopefully this chap was a decent mix. Now that all four crystals have been found, you can bet things are coming to a head. What's in the egg? What is Malar's next move? Will YTRP get out of Gagazet in one piece? And is Paine right when she says YTRP sounds silly? Stay tuned. Keep the reviews coming, they keep me writing! -Neon Ronin] 


	13. Prelude to Cataclysm

[A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, esp. the ones that urge me to post more. As usual, I don't own anything by Square Enix or any other game company. On with the show.]  
  
Chapter 13: Prelude to Cataclysm  
  
The cliffs of Mount Gagazet had become a war zone as dozens of draconian fiends surged forward, attempting to smother the small band of warriors in their midst beneath leathery wings and obsidian claws. Their strength in numbers was formidable, but they had not counted on the power and tenacity their prey had at their disposal. Several of the Wrathfangs quickly learned their lesson as Gippal slammed the Fiendgrinder's rotary saw blade across their chests, tearing them to pieces and sending horrific shrieks echoing across the mountain. Kimahri swung his Spirit Lance in a wide arc, knocking a squad of five more Wrathfangs off the side of the cliff and into oblivion. More fiends scrambled down the sheer cliff face, grappling Kimahri from behind and attempting to rip his arms off, when suddenly the earth trembled and a wave of emerald stalagmites erupted from the ground, impaling the fiends and enabling Kimahri to break free and finish them off with a massive lance swing. "Time to get down to business!!" Tidus shouted, wiping the sweat from his brow as the Earth Crystal's glow faded and the stalagmites disappeared. Grasping Caladbolg with both hands, he spun around and began tearing apart a new squad of fiends that was charging the Gullwings' position.  
  
Yuna slammed two fresh clips into her guns and charged forward, spinning and firing at the fiends around them in an elegant yet deadly waltz. Two airborne Wrathfangs landed directly in front of her and lunged, claws aimed at her chest and throat; with a quick duck she rolled right beneath their attacks, landing face up on the ground between them just as they looked down in bewilderment. "See ya," she muttered, almost playfully, before jamming a gun down the throat of each fiend and squeezing the triggers as fast as humanly possible. The backs of the Wrathfangs' skulls exploded, unleashing clouds of pyreflies as Yuna rolled over and jumped to her feet. Not far from her, Rikku was completing her Spherechange into Alchemist mode and was already mixing two elements together. "Chow down on this, you big meanies!!" she yelled, tossing the mixing canister at a new squad of fiends which were rapidly closing in on Tidus. They had succeeded in grazing him across the arms twice and he had carved two into nothingness just as Rikku's Archangel bomb exploded around them, ripping them to shreds.  
  
"DESTROY THEM!!!" Neogas bellowed as several more Wrathfangs closed in on the party. Paine grasped her sword in a knuckle-whitening grip and charged several at once. The crystal on her hand shone bright gold once again as fingers of electricity wrapped themselves around her sword. "You just don't get it, do you?" she growled, driving her blade into first one fiend, then another, and then a third. Her movements were perfectly timed, her speed blinding. The fiends screeched as the shockwaves tore across their bodies, and were abruptly silenced as Yuna chambered and fired a Scatterburst flechette round that not only destroyed them but gouged furrows into the fiends who were racing forward to replace them. Suddenly the twin Morlachs roared in unison, expelling a foul black miasma that washed over all six warriors, burning their eyes and throats and causing Tidus, Paine and Gippal to double over in poison-induced agony.  
  
"Tysh ajano mycd uha uv draca suhcdanc!!" Gippal snarled, twirling the Fiendgrinder around and setting it firmly on his shoulder, barrel end towards the fiends. "I'm not gonna let a little poison stop me just when the fun's getting started!!" He winced as he jammed his fingers down on the trigger, launching a high-impact shell directly at the Morlachs which exploded right between them, showering them both with flame and shrapnel. The fiends squealed in pain and recoiled several paces; at that moment Kimahri raised his lance in the air and channeled the healing energies of White Wind into those around him, soothing the burning sensations of the Morlachs' poison. "Take your presence away from home of Ronso!" Kimahri shouted, swinging his lance into another group of fiends and grinding them into oblivion.  
  
[Translation: Damn every last one of these monsters!!]  
  
"This is getting ridiculous; let's kick it up a notch and finish them all right now!!" Tidus punched his Grid and activated his Gunner sphere just as a final squad of Wrathfangs descended and charged him from behind. Yuna caught a glimpse of his attackers before he did and broke into a run towards him. "Tidus, behind you!" she cried, slapping fresh clips into her guns. He nodded quickly and dashed towards her with the fiends hot on his heels. At the last possible second she ducked and rolled as he executed a diving roll directly over her. The fiends stumbled for a second in surprise at the rollover switch, then recoiled in shock as Yuna rolled up into a crouch, blazing away at the fiends with both barrels. A second later, Tidus whipped around and executed an identical two-fisted attack directly over her head. The Wrathfangs could do little else but stumble in agony as the combined fury of four guns tore their flesh to pieces. At the exact same moment, Rikku slammed her right palm to the ground, channeling a torrent of hellfire from her crystal that raced across the ground and erupted beneath the Morlachs, immolating them from the inside out.  
  
Neogas growled in frustration as he ran a hand across a patch of burned skin on his chest. With the Morlachs burned to cinders and almost all the Wrathfangs destroyed, only he remained. "So it comes down to this, does it? Very well; I will kill each of you myself!!"  
  
"Dream on," Paine shot back. "Why don't you just walk away before-" But before she could complete her retort, the apelike fiend charged forward almost faster than the eye could see, pulling his arm back and swinging in a wide arc. Paine and Rikku both caught the full force of the swipe and got knocked backwards across the ground, the wind knocked out of them. Yuna gasped and began channeling energy from the White Lore still clipped to her temple braid, when Neogas abruptly slammed both fists to the ground, emitting a concussive wave of force that shook the walls next to them and caused some rocks to fall away. Tidus threw himself in front of the blast and tried to block the wave with the Earth Crystal's power, but the wave was far too quick and knocked him, Yuna, Kimahri and Gippal to the ground.  
  
"I do believe it is you lot who should 'dream on'," said Neogas as he ambled forward. "Master has granted me great strength, far greater than my Gigas brethren. There is no chance of defeat." He chuckled and reached to his side, producing a small vial of scintillating liquid. In doing so, he failed to notice Rikku subtly changing Dresspheres and rolling into a crouch. "Now, to make sure you don't make this harder for me....."  
  
"OH NO YOU DON'T!!" Neogas blinked and turned his head towards the shout, just in time to see Rikku jump in the air towards him, clad in her Thief clothing once more. She planted her left foot on his left forearm, whipped around and kicked him across the face with her right, while at the same time lunging forward and grabbing the bottle of Hero Drink out of his hands. A quick forward flip and she landed on the ground, drew her daggers which promptly burst into flame, spun around and carved a pair of wicked gashes across his upper thigh. "Sorry, Mr. Ape Man, but there ain't nothin' I can't steal!" she taunted in a sing-song voice. She turned back to the others, grabbing a Mega-Potion out of her belt pouch just as Neogas recovered and pulled his arm back to punch her right in the back of the head.  
  
"RIKKU! KAD TUFH!!" Gippal shouted. Rikku blinked and hit the ground just as the beast swung, missing her head by less than an inch. Neogas stumbled, giving Gippal a chance to struggle to his feet and fire another shell. The round exploded right in Neogas' face, eliciting a groan of pain and lots of smoke- but the beast stayed on his feet. He glared at Gippal who was chambering another round in the Fiendgrinder; seconds later two white-hot bolts of fire burst forth from his eyes, catching Gippal square in the chest and slamming him against the far cliff wall. Rikku shrieked and jumped to her feet, tossing the Mega-Potion into the air and at the same time glaring at Neogas with fury burning in her eyes.  
  
[Translation: Rikku! Get down!!]  
  
"You call yourself greater? You're nothing but an animal! Killing my people, kidnapping my own cousin, and now this ambush of yours! You're nothing more than a BIG BULLYING LACKEY!!" she screamed, flames racing along not only her daggers but across her arms and legs as well. Taking a quick step, she charged forward, jumped and drove both blades directly into Neogas' chest before he even had a chance to swing at her. The crystal- induced flames appeared to engulf her entire body, surging and searing their way into the wounds her daggers inflicted. Neogas roared in agony, flailing his arms out to either side and beating at his burning fur until Rikku eventually released her grip, dropping to the ground and extinguishing the flames that had wreathed her figure. Her face relaxed and she collapsed to her knees, breathing hard. Yuna scrambled to her feet and pulled Rikku away from the beast, who was beating out the last of the flames and breathing hard.  
  
"We'd better get this over with!" Yuna cried, jerking one pistol upwards and firing several shots at Neogas; the bullets dug into his flesh but appeared to do little except attract his attention. "Dammit," she muttered softly, "I guess ranged attacks are out, and I'm not sure how much magical energy I've got in reserve!" She channeled her White Lore again, casting a healing spell on Rikku.  
  
"Looks like we just gotta pound him hard and fast!" said Paine as she raised her right hand forward. Her crystal burned with a golden light and her eyes glowed pure white as a bolt of lightning exploded from her open palm, sending flash burns across Neogas' left arm. He growled and charged the group once again, punching as hard and fast as he could. Kimahri leapt forward and parried the beast's strikes with his lance, scoring a few good blows of his own. Tidus changed back to his normal attire and joined the fray, carving several wicked gashes into Neogas, but the beast was determined not to give up and swung both arms outward, tearing his claws across both fighters and knocking them backward. Tidus stumbled but stayed on his feet, quickly turning around.  
  
"Yuna! Can you channel your crystal enough to create a sphere of water?"  
  
"A sphere? I think so, but why?" she asked, slightly confused.  
  
"I'm gonna try my old Blitz Ace technique on him, but if we want it to work completely we're gonna need something akin to a Blitzball!" he replied.  
  
A smile broke across her face and she nodded. She stood up and shot her right hand forward, palm up. A deep blue glow shone from her entire hand as minute drops of water swirled in the air above her palm, coalescing and binding into a spheroid form. Azure flecks of energy swirled in the midst of the orb as she turned her head to Tidus and grinned. "Go get him, sweetheart."  
  
Neogas was attempting to wrestle Kimahri off the side of the cliff when a burst of energy from the others attracted his attention. He turned back just in time to see Tidus launching himself forward with phenomenal force. Neogas' arms shot up in a desperate shielding maneuver, but he was far too slow. Tidus swung Caladbolg back and forth through the air stronger than he ever had before, gouging terrific furrows into Neogas' chest and legs that left the beast reeling. Paine stared in amazement. _This is swordsmanship on a level of speed I've only gotten to see once or twice before! _she mused at the very moment Tidus stopped swinging his sword. Jamming the blade into the ground in front of him, he jumped up and used the pommel as a stepping stool to hurl himself several yards into the air. At the exact same moment, Yuna heaved the sphere of energy and water into the sky with one hand, which seemed to fly effortlessly through the air and into an ideal position just as Tidus was arching backward into his signature moonsault. His foot connected with the sphere, driving it into Neogas' face with a crashing sound that made everybody visibly wince.  
  
The great beast collapsed to his knees, breathing hard; already his form was beginning to grow indistinct. "You are strong...... stronger perhaps than Master thought," he gasped. "You may win this battle, but Master will hunt you down and destroy you for sure....."  
  
Yuna glared at the dying fiend. "Not if we destroy him first."

* * *

The journey down the remaining cliffs was, thankfully, uneventful. Gippal had suffered a concussion when he hit the rock wall, and despite a healing potion or two had a hard time remaining steady, so Rikku had offered her shoulder to lean on as they descended. It had made for an interesting sight because of their height difference, but they had managed. The clouds were slowly dispersing, letting in the light of the crescent moon overhead. As they reached the foothills of Gagazet, Yuna caught sight of several tents erected near the great stone arches, which she immediately recognized as belonging to Nhadala. Sure enough, there she was, chatting with a female Ronso while Brother and Buddy appeared to be playing cards with two Ronso youths. Upon catching sight of YTRP, however, Brother leaped up from the game and dashed over.  
  
"YUNA!" he cried joyously. "They found you after all! This is great happiness!!" A huge grin broke out on his face and he started dancing around, causing Yuna and the others to giggle. The dance stopped when he noticed Gippal with his arm around Rikku's shoulder. "Wait a minute! What is happening here, Rikku? He is not toying with you, is he?" he asked in a slightly vexed tone.  
  
"What? Oh, come on, Brother! Can't you see he got kinda banged up? I was just trying to help!"  
  
"It's true, actually we all got in kind of a tough spot up there," Yuna added. "I don't think it would have gone so well if he and Kimahri hadn't shown up when they did."  
  
Kimahri nodded. "Gippal comes to Ronso with great concern on his face. Tells us he is worried for safety of friends, that airship cannot go close enough. Kimahri worried, too. Instinct tells that Yuna and others in danger."  
  
"You have no idea how glad we were to see you," said Tidus. "Talk about a sight for sore eyes, old buddy." Kimahri smiled, that strange feline smile that was unnerving at first but still pleasing.  
  
"We really should have contacted you and told you about those fiends earlier, before things started getting out of hand," said Yuna. "I knew the Council would tell you, but I..... I guess I was scared that if I told you, you'd wind up getting hurt because of it. I'm sorry, Kimahri."  
  
"Yuna did what she thought was best. There is no need for apologies," he replied. "But do not worry from now on. Kimahri has fought and triumphed against far worse than those." She looked up at him and nodded, a small smile on her face.  
  
"I just wish we could have seen each other again under happier circumstances," she said after a moment. "I wish you'd been able to come to Besaid for the ceremony."  
  
He nodded, a suggestion of regret on his face. "Duties of Elder are heavy burden at times. Elder cannot leave Ronso when they are in need. Still, Kimahri there in spirit. Kimahri happy for Yuna's happiness." She smiled more broadly and gave him a big hug.  
  
"The Celsius got a little banged up by that storm, so we had to land further to the South," Buddy said as he joined the group. "We figured it might be a good idea to camp down here, especially since some of the diggers were starting to get cabin fever. Thankfully we haven't gotten too much static from the Ronso about setting up temporarily."  
  
Gippal swayed slightly on his feet and put a hand to his head. "That's good, because I think I'm gonna need a place to lie down in the next ten seconds."  
  
"Oh geez, Gippal, you shoulda said something if you were getting woozy again!" Rikku said as she braced Gippal as best she could, leading him over to one of the tents.  
  
Paine stifled a yawn and ran a hand across her arm where some bruises still remained. "I think we're all going to have to lie down and get some sleep; it's way past midnight after all."  
  
"You're right," said Yuna, stretching and gazing up at the sky. _We need to rest up for the trials ahead of us. This isn't going to be easy,_ she thought to herself.  
  
"We've got enough bedding for just about everyone, I think." Yuna looked up to see Nhadala approaching the group. "After what you've been through in the last few days, I'm guessing you could really use it."  
  
Yuna looked a bit sheepish. "Yeah.... Not exactly the kind of thing you get from repairing weather forecasting equipment," she muttered.  
  
Nhadala smiled. "You know, if you had just mentioned what was going down we could've sent some people out to help you with it....... But I can also understand not wanting to get others involved," she said, placing a sympathetic hand on Yuna's shoulder. "You'd better get some rest. It's not easy fighting fiends when you're half asleep," she added with a wink. Yuna nodded, and she and Tidus made their way over to the main tent with Paine ambling slowly after them. Brother and Buddy followed suit as well as Kimahri gazed solemnly at the clearing skies above. A stray gust of wind blew through his mane as he folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"Yuna goes to face a great evil," he muttered to himself. "Ronso are still few in number, too few to risk going to war with one such as this. Elder's place is with Ronso." He shook his head and gazed sadly back at the tent. "Kimahri would go with Yuna, but must stay with Ronso brethren. Elder's mantle is a heavy burden once more," he sighed, turning and walking towards a small campfire where Laira, a Ronso maiden with whom he was enamored, sat waiting to talk with him and comfort him.

* * *

Rikku stirred in her sleeping bag. _Something's moving around,_ she thought as the sounds of a person shifting and groaning met her ears. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up; what little light came through the tent flap was cold and gray, telling her it was still some time before dawn. To her right lay Paine in her sleeping bag, flat on her back and sleeping like the dead. Just beyond Paine was Yuna's sleeping bag, which she had pulled right next to Tidus' the moment they had settled down mere hours before. Rikku pulled herself onto her elbows and could see the two of them had edged out of their sleeping bags just enough to wrap their arms around each other, and were both sound asleep. She smiled at this and began to wonder what it was she had heard, when another groan came from her left. Turning over, she realized what was going on.  
  
"Gippal? You're awake already?" she whispered. Gippal was sitting cross-legged on top of his sleeping bag, stretching his arms in a position that looked decidedly uncomfortable. Upon hearing his name, he looked over and smiled a guilty smile.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't want to disturb you," he whispered, continuing his stretches. "I woke up not too long ago and couldn't get back to sleep."  
  
"I know the feeling," Rikku replied. "Are you okay now? That bump on the back of your head was really nasty."  
  
"I've had worse. Of course, I wasn't getting burned across the chest by a fiend at the same time, so....." He shrugged. "I'm just glad we pulled through that mess in more or less one piece."  
  
A moment passed. Rikku pulled herself up into a sitting position. "Gippal...... thanks again. For everything. I dunno what we would've done if you two hadn't been there."  
  
Gippal smiled. "I don't know what it was that told me to go up Gagazet after you guys, but for some reason I felt I just had to get up there. I didn't want to see the same thing that happened on Bikanel all over again, Rikku."  
  
Rikku paused. "Gippal...... you haven't been calling me by that nickname very much these days, you know?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well....just that you've always called me 'Cid's girl' or 'kiddo' whenever we'd meet, even back when we were growing up." She shifted uncomfortably in her sleeping bag. "I dunno, I guess I just got used to you calling me that, even if it did annoy me at times."  
  
Gippal scratched the back of his head, fidgeting slightly. "I..... I guess I thought I was being cool or something whenever I said that," he said in a low tone. "It was a childish thing to do; I think it took me longer to grow out of that juvenile phase than most Al Bhed boys. I was just being stupid. I kept acting like a big shot while you went away and got a chance to do things I never would have dreamed of." He sighed and looked up at her with his good eye. "E's cunno E dnaydat oui mega y get ymm drec desa, Rikku."  
  
[Translation: I'm sorry I treated you like a kid all this time, Rikku]  
  
Rikku blinked and then looked down at her hands, blushing slightly. "Um.... Well, maybe I should've been acting a bit more grownup myself, I mean Paine's always been on my case about behaving like a kid, so maybe I kinda brought it on myself anyway?"  
  
"That's part of what makes you who you are," Gippal replied. "I don't recall ever asking you to change that, did I?" Rikku shook her head, blushing even more. "All I'm saying is maybe it's time I grew up myself and showed you that I really do know you have a name."  
  
"Gippal......" she said softly.  
  
Just then soft moans began to emerge from Rikku's right. She turned around and saw Paine tossing and turning in her sleep. She pulled her arms out of the sleeping bag and began punching the air; at the sound of her movements Yuna awoke, pulling herself up and gently nudging Tidus awake as well. "No.... No! Get away; stop it! Stop showing me this! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" Paine shouted, jerking upwards into a sitting position with her eyes wide open. Cold sweat was running down her temples and she was breathing hard.  
  
"Paine, what is it? What's going on?" Yuna asked frantically, scrambling out of her sleeping bag. Paine said nothing, but clenched her fists and stared at the tent flap, trying to calm down with harsh, measured breaths. Yuna bit her lower lip nervously.  
  
"It.... It was him again, wasn't it?" Rikku asked in a low, feeble voice.  
  
Paine unclenched her right hand and wiped the sweat off her brow. "I heard him laughing," she muttered. "Then I started seeing things, things I think he wanted me to see. I saw the Thunder Plains......." She drew in a deep breath. "I saw fiends everywhere. The fiends he's been sending after us all this time. Wrathfangs, those disgusting Morlachs.....they were everywhere. Hundreds of them. All over the Plains. Then that damnable voice of his spoke up, saying 'it won't be long now', and laughing again....."  
  
"He's been creating an army," said Tidus with a grim look on his face. "That's what he's been holding back behind that barrier of his. This isn't just a few raiding minions, he's going to wage all-out war."  
  
Yuna shivered. "Just like he told me in that dream prison of his. He wants to make all of Spira pay for what he's been through- the imprisonment, the rivalry with his master, everything."  
  
"And if he's jumping into your mind again just to show you what's going on....." Rikku continued.  
  
"It means two things. We're running out of time faster than we thought, and he's trying to lure us into a trap," said Paine as she pulled herself out of her sleeping bag. "There's something in the Plains he wants us to face, but he wants to soften us up by throwing waves of fiends at us first. Either that, or he's planning to divert our attention while that army of his marches on Spira from all directions."  
  
"So what are we going to do now?" Yuna asked.  
  
Gippal stood up. "If I might make a suggestion. Let's get the camp broken down as soon as everyone is ready to move, then get our butts back to Bevelle as fast as possible. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve, plus I did some Commsphere strategy discussions with Nooj and Baralai last night. At least two divisions of Council troops should have already been put on active duty and may be mobilizing as we speak. If it's war that Malar wants, it's a war he's gonna get."  
  
Rikku blinked. "Gippal, are you sure about this?"  
  
"Not entirely, but one thing I know is I'm not gonna stand by and let the four of you take all the risks," he replied. "We've already got several companies of troops on standby in Bevelle, and a few in Luca and Djose. It won't be too hard to move them into flanking positions around the Plains; that way we can keep civilians from getting too involved."  
  
"What about aerial attacks?" Tidus asked. "Don't forget those Wrathfangs can fly as easily as they walk. A ground-only blockade won't last long if they take to the sky."  
  
"Already taken into consideration," Gippal replied. "We've refurbished as many machina weapons as possible, at least one to a platoon. Nooj told me they've prepped and readied all the YAC-62 mechs that are still battle-worthy. If it comes down to it, we've also got a few 'surprises' of our own that the Machine Faction's been testing for a few months."  
  
Yuna nodded to herself. "So this is really it," she said softly. "He knows we've assembled all the crystals, and now that we have them, he's getting desperate. So much that he's calling us out with a show of force that could very well level all of Spira in its wake." She looked up. "He doesn't care how many lives he extinguishes, and he knows we do care. He knows that we'd do anything to protect each other and those around us, and he's hoping to use that against us. He wants us to be afraid to fight against those odds." She took a deep breath and the semblance of a smile crept onto her face.  
  
"But he's not going to succeed," she continued. "He doesn't know the true power we have among us. Not just in the crystals, but in each other. We've fought against far worse things than a sadistic two thousand-year-old maniac, and each time we came through because we were together. As long as we're a team, we can face anything." She looked at Tidus and slipped her hand into his. "He may be The Immortal, but he has a weakness. All we have to do is find it."  
  
Tidus nodded. "We can do this. I don't care how many of those things he throws our way, we'll bring 'em all down."  
  
"Yeah!" Rikku interjected, jumping up and down. "Let's go get that big meanie once and for all!!"  
  
"Then we'd better get a move on," said Paine as she began gathering her equipment. "Let's get out of here and get to Bevelle as soon as we can." She shook her equipment pouch. "We'd better stock up on medicinals when we get there; our Potion supply is running pretty low."  
  
The others nodded and began moving around the tent quickly. As the sun rose over the horizon, the small camp began to bustle with activity as tents were lowered and repackaged. The Ronso pitched in to help in the campsite breakdown; even the stubborn Garik lent a hand. Breakfast was a hurried affair, a simple meal of trail biscuits and Chocobo eggs. Gippal took a moment to use the Gagazet Commsphere to contact Bevelle, alerting Nooj and Baralai that all was well and that they should expect the Celsius by mid-morning. Paine stood brooding by the side of the cliffs watching Tidus, Yuna and Rikku say goodbye to Kimahri. While they weren't looking, she slipped off the Power Wrist worn beneath her left glove, replacing it with something else from the equipment satchel.  
  
"Take care of yourself, Kimahri," Yuna said, giving him a big hug. "Be safe."  
  
"Kimahri will protect Ronso from any danger," he replied. "But Kimahri wishes he could go with Yuna as well."  
  
"It's alright," she said. "I don't want to risk the safety of the Ronso tribe, and I know you don't either." She patted him on the arm. "We'll be okay."  
  
"We'll come and visit you once the battle's won, Kimahri," Tidus added. "It'll be over before you know it." Kimahri nodded, giving a grunt of approval.  
  
"Come on, you guys! We gotta get going before Malar decides to start the party before us!" Rikku whined. Yuna and Tidus looked over and smiled. Even in the midst of a crisis, Rikku still had that one spark of cheerfulness that didn't go out- maybe overshadowed once in a while, but never completely gone.  
  
"We're on our way!" they said in unison, giving Kimahri one last hug and heading down to join the others. In the distance they could just make out the whine of the Celsius' engines starting up.  
  
To Be Continued........  
  
[A/N: I will admit, Yuna's little speech towards the end is a teeny bit sappy, but I think it fits her well. I will say right now that the rest of the upcoming week is going to be very busy for me, schedule-wise, so it may take a little longer than usual for me to write and post my next chapter. This is not only because of work; the upcoming chapters are gonna be hard to write. I'm a bit of a detail freak, and I want it to be just right. Keep those reviews coming! -Neon Ronin] 


	14. Swords Drawn

[A/N: I don't own anything, blah blah blah. Thanks again for your continued support. Showtime.]  
  
Chapter 14: Swords Drawn  
  
"This is Shelinda, reporting live from the North side of Luca where, as you can see, a lot of commotion is currently taking place. As many of you may now be aware, there have recently been some disturbing increases in fiend-related incidents over the past couple of weeks. A bizarre assortment of uncatalogued fiends have been slowly but surely making their presence known, and the question remains: What link do they have to the disturbances in the Thunder Plains? These aggressive fiends, vaguely humanoid but with decidedly reptilian features, first made their presence known in Kilika during a seemingly unprovoked fiend outbreak, and have since reappeared several times in different locations across Spira.  
  
"What makes these fiends even more unusual is the near-military precision with which they seem to operate. A valley section of the Mi'ihen Highroad was recently laid to ruins as these creatures apparently attempted to collapse an underground passage in on itself, and reports of ambushes along the Moonflow and on Bikanel Island have also come in. The attacks have been swift and deadly, claiming numerous lives so far, which has led to the activity you see behind me.  
  
"The Joint Council of Spira has been mobilizing all available defense forces in the area, in some cases combining New Yevon and Youth League squads together in conjunction with machina weaponry supplied by the Machine Faction. Garrisons are being set up at the edges of residential areas, such as this one at the South end of the Highroad. Yet the question remains, where did these fiends come from? In light of the recent discoveries regarding the energy field now surrounding the Thunder Plains, it is quite possible the fiends are originating from within the Plains and pose a new threat to Spira that may or may not rival that of Sin. If they are coming from the Thunder Plains, then the question is this: Who or what is causing them to appear, and why?  
  
"Meyvn Nooj, leader of the Youth League and the elected Chancellor of the Council, has reported that all available resources are being directed to stem the tide of these mysterious fiends, and that the situation is well under control. Some people, however, claim that this is bureaucratic delay tactics at work, and that the Council may know more about what is going on than they say they do. Furthermore, there has been rampant gossip flying around that Spira's own freelance fiend exterminators, the Gullwings, have mobilized to combat this growing menace as well, which may suggest....."  
  
"Switch it off," Nooj sighed, turning in his chair. The sphere network faded with a hum as LeBlanc deactivated the monitor, then turned and sashayed over to Nooj.  
  
"I was afraid of this. Those fiends are getting more and more brazen with their attacks, and now this. The network's going to wind up turning this into something it isn't, and we may wind up taking the blame for it," Nooj mused, checking the sights on his gun.  
  
"Oh, let them spout their theories and their nonsense," LeBlanc purred. "Once this whole fiasco is over with, they'll be praising you and the others as heroes for standing in the face of these freaks." She ran her hand along his right arm. "I just don't see why you won't let me come along, Noojie."  
  
"This situation is dangerous, LeBlanc," he replied, standing up and grasping his cane. "From the way it sounds, there could be hundreds of those things out there, and there's a high chance you might get caught in the crossfire."  
  
"Hah! What do I have to fear from a few fiends? The Great LeBlanc has felled her fair share, and you should know that better than anyone!"  
  
"You said it, Boss!" boomed Ormi from the side of the room. "There ain't nothin' she's afraid of!"  
  
"It is only fair, Meyvn," said Logos as he finished loading his revolvers and spun them into his holsters. "You and your joint consuls are going out with the troops, and the High Summoner is preparing to fight as well. Why not Milady LeBlanc?"  
  
Nooj looked around the room and finally came to rest on LeBlanc who was gazing at him with puppy-dog eyes. _Blast it all, I didn't want to get her involved in something like this.......but she is right, she can hold her own against fiends and she did help out during the Vegnagun incident..... And if worst does come to worst, she does have her two main goons and what remains of the Syndicate......_  
  
A long moment passed, ending with Nooj sighing and shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't want to put you in a position where you might get hurt, but I should have realized that once you make up your mind, it's not easy to make you change your decision." He hefted his cane and started towards the door of the Council chamber. "Just as long as you don't make any rash moves or get separated from the rest of the forces. Those are my conditions."  
  
"Oh, thank you sooooooo much, my darling Noojie-Woojie! Finally, the LeBlanc Syndicate will have its place at the forefront of Spira's salvation!" she exclaimed, already beginning to strut about as if she were Queen of the Universe. Nooj chuckled silently to himself.  
  
A low rumble echoed through the windows. "What was that?" Ormi asked. Logos ambled over to the window and gazed out, then turned back and waved the others over. "I think you had better see this," he said, his eyes wide.

* * *

The docks and major roadways of Bevelle were bustling with activity as Council soldiers completed last-minute preparations, sharpening swords and loading ammunition clips into freshly oiled automatic rifles. Al Bhed technicians dashed from mech to mech, making sure batteries were charged and fuel supplies adequate. A number of Hovers had been custom-fitted with heavy armor plating and side-mount running boards, enabling extra troop capacity. There even appeared to be a platoon of trained Chocobo mounts, carefully groomed and selected by Lucil as the "new generation" of Chocobo Knights. Their riders, though well-trained, had an air of anxiety about them as they gazed into the distance towards Macalania Woods and the glowing Plains beyond. Past the Knights, several squads of Youth League Mages were in the process of conducting meditative swordplay to calm their spirits and heighten their arcane awareness. Occasionally their ranks grew as one of Yevon's Finest, the elite guardsmen of Bevelle, joined in and partook of the exercises as well. To some it was a sight seldom thought possible- the two separate branches of the Council Military working together in perfect unison.  
  
Further along the docks, the Celsius was undergoing last minute maintenance and refueling as her crew conferred with the other Council members.  
  
"We discovered on Kilika that the Wrathfangs are highly susceptible to positive energy attacks, like Holy damage," Yuna was saying. "Gravitational effects and ice seem to affect them as well, but in some cases their hide is tougher than you might expect. Standard weaponry may work against them, but you'd best have some heavy firepower handy just in case."  
  
"Perfect job for these babies," said Gippal as he produced a large shell from one of several ammo boxes near his feet. "30 millimeter hollow point rounds, with an inner capsule of Holy Water. Designed this ammo to blow away a Lich with one shot." He grinned as he brought out an ammo clip loaded with the custom shells and slapped it into the Fiendgrinder.  
  
"What about those Morlachs? We need to be careful around those things; that mist of theirs could end things in a hurry," said Baralai as he ran a polishing cloth over one end of his bladed staff.  
  
"We'll need to make sure everyone is supplied with medicinals that can treat venom and blindness," said Tidus as he finished polishing his sword and slung it across his back. "If we can't do that, then try to hit them hard and fast with fire; that's what took them out the fastest when we faced them on Gagazet."  
  
"Don't forget, though, that when we fought them up there Rikku was using the Fire Crystal," Yuna added. "Standard magic may not be quite as powerful against them."  
  
"Speaking of which, where is Rikku?" said Paine. "I haven't seen much of her since we got to Bevelle."  
  
"Oh, she and Brother are probably getting their ears chewed off by Cid right now," said Gippal with a smirk.  
  
"Oh boy. She's not going to be in a good mood after that......" Paine muttered.  
  
"Wait, Uncle Cid's here too? I thought these days he was so engrossed with the exploration of the Baaj ruins that he wouldn't have even noticed what was going on!" Yuna piped up.  
  
"Apparently he's been paying more attention than you guys thought, because he seemed pretty peeved when I spoke with him earlier this morning," Gippal replied. "I didn't expect him to be here either, but when that mug of his showed up on the Commsphere..." He was cut off by an outbreak of cursing in Al Bhed from the side. The five of them turned and saw Rikku stomping towards them in a huff, a bulging sack slung over her shoulder. Brother wasn't far behind and looked just as annoyed. Cid wasn't anywhere in sight.  
  
"Here, guys!" Rikku said curtly, tossing the bag into Tidus' arms. "I got us as many healing potions and other stuff as I could; it better be enough because I'm not going back there to get more!"  
  
"Whoa, what's eating you now, Rikku?" Tidus asked. "Was he off on another tirade on acting more 'ladylike' or something?"  
  
Brother let out an exasperated groan. "Father blames US for 'dragging Yuna into danger'! He says we are irresponsible and selfish! He tells us the same thing over again, and we never get a word in!"  
  
"Yep, that's Cid alright, same as ever," Tidus sighed, putting a hand to his head. Yuna groaned. "Didn't anyone tell him that this was something we all decided on together? I didn't get dragged into this, I did it of my own volition!" she said.  
  
"Oh Yunie, you know what Pop's like! Once he gets an idea in his head, you can't shake it from him for the life of you! Geez, I just wish he'd stayed at Baaj after the ceremony like he said he was going to!"  
  
"He wouldn't be Cid if he didn't drop in and display his own brand of fatherly concern," Gippal interjected. "Believe me, I know that all too well."  
  
"So what exactly is he doing here?" Paine asked. "Is he here in a support position or is he just here to gripe?"  
  
"He says he's here to help out with the 'big mess we've gotten ourselves into' but right now he's just puttering around," Rikku scoffed. "The Highwind's parked by the far docks but there's nothing going on around it, no preparations or maintenance, nothing! All Pop's doing is chatting up the supply sergeant who's in charge of the medical equipment!" A vexed look crossed Yuna's face and she tried to think of something to defend Cid, but knowing him as she did she couldn't think of anything offhand and shook her head. Tidus just shrugged.  
  
A low rumble shot across the sky, a crack like thunder. Yuna looked up and suddenly her eyes went wide. Tidus looked up as well, followed by Rikku, Paine, then Gippal and Baralai. Brother was the last to look up, but the first one to speak up.  
  
"Fryd dra ramm ec dryd?!?" he gasped in a bewildered tone.  
  
[Translation: What the hell is that?!?]  
  
The skies to the South had taken on a menacing violet hue as a pillar of light erupted from a distant source. Black clouds began boiling out of the pillar, and thin fingers of lightning flickered across the rapidly darkening sky. The wind began to pick up slowly, creating low whistles as air currents played across the many archways of the Highbridge. Distant shrieks emerged from the clouds, shrieks akin to the sound of a hundred dying fiends. As abruptly as it had appeared, the pillar of light vanished but the clouds remained, spreading their coal blackness across the sky even faster. Lightning ripped across the clouds once again and the wind picked up speed, whipping hair and battle cloaks back. Several Chocobos squawked and ruffled their feathers nervously.  
  
"Looks like somebody's getting impatient," Paine growled.  
  
Gippal nodded and stood up. "It's time to move out." Baralai stood up as well, and the two of them shouldered their weapons. Lucil began barking orders to the riders to fall into formation. Troops started filing into the armored Hovers, checking and re-checking their armaments.  
  
"Our moment of the truth is at hand!" Brother exclaimed. "GULLWIIIINGS!! To your positions!" He turned around and strode off purposefully towards the Celsius' loading ramp, attracting a lot of stares with his loose-limbed gait that made it look like his joints were made of rubber.  
  
"I guess that's our cue," said Tidus, turning to Yuna. "You ready for this?"  
  
Yuna nodded. "Let's go show him what the Gullwings are made of." She put her right hand out; Tidus placed his right hand on top of hers, followed by Rikku's hand, then Paine's. The four crystals on their hands appeared to pulse in unison. "One last time for old time's sake?" Yuna asked.  
  
"Eh, why not. I guess the name isn't that silly," said Paine with the slight hint of a smirk on her face. Yuna grinned.  
  
"Y!" "T!" "R!" "P!"  
  
"Moving out!" they all shouted in unison, breaking the formation and heading for the airship as the thunder rolled closer. Looking back they could see Nooj and LeBlanc making their way to join the others; Gippal and Baralai began issuing orders to some of the remaining troops. Paine paused, then skidded to a halt. "Wait a minute!" she called out. "I forgot something!" Rikku stopped at the bottom of the ramp, turning around just as Paine broke into a run back towards the middle of the dock.  
  
Baralai was adjusting the cuffs on his jacket and had just slung his staff over his back when he saw Paine jogging towards him. He stopped and took a step forward. "Paine? What's the matter?"  
  
Paine took a deep breath. "I..... I just wanted to say good luck out there...... and once this is all over, do you think..... Well....." She looked at the ground, scratching the back of her head. "Maybe we could get together and talk about old times? It's been a while, after all....." _Geez, why am I acting like this? Get a grip! _she thought to herself.  
  
Baralai nodded. "I'd like that."  
  
Paine smiled a bit. "Me too."  
  
A long moment passed where neither said anything, but just stood there awkwardly. They hardly seemed to notice as several Hovers completed their loading and took off for the North edge of the Plains. It wasn't until the Celsius' hover turbines growled to life that they shook themselves out of their reverie. "Sounds like your ride is here," Baralai said. Paine nodded. "I guess I'd better be going," she replied. Another moment passed, and then without warning, Paine stepped forward and gave Baralai a quick hug, which he returned in kind. "You take care of yourself," she whispered to him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before releasing the embrace and running back to the Celsius.  
  
Rikku and the others were waiting at the ramp as she approached, ascending the steps two at a time. "Let's go!" Paine shouted, disappearing into the innards of the ship. Yuna and Tidus followed suit, but Rikku lingered for a moment.  
  
"Gimme just a second, you guys!" she hollered, turning and looking out at the courtyard again. The whine of the engines was growing into a thundering roar as she scanned the rapidly departing crowds of troops. Several Chocobos galloped across her field of vision, causing her to curse under her breath, when suddenly she caught a glimpse of blonde hair that stuck up like broom straws. She broke into a run, cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, "GIPPAL!"  
  
Gippal turned around on his motorcycle and saw her running over from the access ramp. He flipped out the kickstand and got up just as she skidded to a halt in front of her. "Whoa, where's the fire? You'd better get back before Brother decides to leave you behind," he said in a lighthearted voice. The engine roar was getting to the point where they had to shout to make themselves heard.  
  
"I just had to tell you something," Rikku shouted over the noise. "You'd better make sure you come out of this in one piece, 'cause if you get yourself killed I'm gonna kick your ass all over the Farplane!"  
  
Gippal blinked, then grinned. "You can count on me," he replied, reaching forward and brushing a strand of windblown hair out of her eyes. "But you better come back too, 'cause I don't know anybody else who can make me laugh quite like you....... Cid's girl." Rikku laughed, grabbing him in a bear hug that he quickly returned. "You'd better go now- and take care!" he said as they released each other. Rikku nodded, turning around and sprinting towards the Celsius, whose access ramp was slowly ascending. With a quick hop, she was on the edge of the rising ramp and running towards the elevator.

* * *

"Report in from Lord Trommell, sirs. Guadosalam is now under lockdown and all access tunnels have been sealed."  
  
"The platoon under Maroda's command has secured the Southern banks of the Moonflow, Meyvn. No sightings of any fiends as of two minutes ago."  
  
"Forward artillery units in position, Praetor."  
  
The black clouds above rumbled ominously as scores of troops made their way to the North edges of the Thunder Plains, which were glowing like an infection. A violent wind stirred up, blowing grit and leaves into the faces of the artillery crews who rushed to complete setup procedures on several cannon emplacements along the higher ridges of land. As more troops arrived and disembarked, it became clear that the barrier around the Plains had altered significantly. The Northernmost edge had begun to slowly but surely recede, reducing the barrier in size but not in intensity. The violet hue of the energy field had shifted as well, flecked with a motley assortment of hues that in some cases defied imagination. As the barrier pulled away, the troops moved forward to set up a semblance of a defensive line. The Chocobo riders under Lucil's command remained back behind the artillery mechs, crouching low and preparing to stride at a moment's notice. Several guardsmen shuddered as they peered across the horizon; from their vantage point they could see that several of the closest lightning towers had been toppled. The barrier was difficult to see through, but the absence of a tower was something it could not hide.  
  
Rain began to fall as the political triumvirate that made up the Council strode to the front of the line. Nooj stepped forward, wiping his glasses absently as he gazed across the horizon. To his left stood Baralai, holding his staff loosely in his right hand. To his right was Gippal, who carried his Fiendgrinder at his side by means of a luggage handle of sorts. Off to the side stood LeBlanc, flanked by Ormi and Logos. She twirled her war fan petulantly as Logos spun the cylinders of his revolvers and Ormi slapped his right fist into his left palm.  
  
The barrier shuddered. Black forms began to emerge from behind it, treading forward as the barrier moved back. Thunder echoed across the Plains as several fiends became dozens, all marching forward slowly but surely. Several troops lowered their guns and stared at the sight of the gargoyle-like Wrathfangs, their wings pulled in and their black claws bared for battle. The energy field shrank even more, until it encompassed only the middle of the Plains and the Southern reaches as well. Now several hundred soulless burning eyes glared at the forces assembled before them; fanged maws appeared to leer with glee. A lone Morlach in the midst of the mass of fiends waved a skeletal limb forward. With a nod, the fiends began to advance slowly but surely.  
  
Nooj drew in a long breath as he raised his gun. "So here we are again," he muttered. "The Crimson Squad, back on the front line." Baralai nodded, gripping his staff with both hands.  
  
Gippal tapped the headset radio he'd clipped to his ear. "Ground forces in position. Looks like a full house."  
  
Yuna's voice came back over the radio. "We should be over your position now; the clouds aren't allowing much visuals. We're ready when you are; just say the word."  
  
Gippal swung the Fiendgrinder up onto his shoulder and clicked off the safety catch.  
  
"Let's dance."

* * *

The wind and the rain cut across the deck of the Celsius with a vengeance, but YTRP didn't seem to notice it. They stood at the front of the ship next to the seagull figurehead, Yuna and Tidus on the port side, Rikku and Paine to starboard. Yuna tapped her headset radio and nodded to the others. "Let's clear the runway," she said in a cheery voice, raising her right hand forward and squeezing her eyes shut in concentration. The Water Crystal shone bright blue, then grew brighter still, taking on a nearly white hue as an almost angelic hum filled the air immediately around her. Tidus watched in amazement, an X-Potion gripped in his hand. _I really hope she doesn't push this too far,_ he thought to himself.  
  
_There is no need to worry, Master._ Tidus blinked as Ferro's voice echoed in his mind. _We are fully awake now. Our powers are completely at your disposal._  
  
At that moment, Yuna's eyes snapped open. The light became almost blinding and suddenly burst forth, a tremendous lance of blue-white energy that soared upwards into the air, seizing wind currents and pulling the dark clouds about them into a whirling mass. The mass pulsed like a heartbeat, once....then twice.....then a third time before exploding and causing the Gullwings to wince and shield their eyes.  
  
The low thud echoed across the landscape, causing the Wrathfangs below to perk their ears up and halt their advance. A few looked upwards; nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then a sudden shimmer in the clouds caught their attention; it looked almost like a stream of pyreflies drifting above them. One of the fiends growled in wonderment, then stared. Others followed suit as they realized the shimmering mass above them was growing larger. Two seconds later came the shocking truth that the mass wasn't growing bigger, it was actually descending on top of them. The specks began to look more like shards, but quickly became recognizable as icicles- if you could call a lance of ice a foot in diameter and six feet long an 'icicle'. The fiends began to shriek in horror, but were quickly replaced by shrieks of pain as the ice lances rained down upon them, driving into the ground like nails and tearing through the flesh of dozens of the Wrathfangs. Some had feet or arms torn off by the icicles, others got impaled through the wings, still others became locked in virtual prisons of ice. For the most part, the ice lances tore their way through fiendish torsos and heads, ripping scores of Wrathfangs apart and creating a massive hole right in the midst of their numbers. At that very moment, Gippal's voice rang out across the Plains. "FIRE!!!"  
  
The cannon report was deafening. Rockets blazed across the landscape as cannons and YAC-62 mechs unleashed a fusillade not seen since the day of Operation Mi'ihen. The Wrathfangs attempted to regroup and charged, only to be cut to ribbons by the hail of artillery shells and mortar rounds. Dozens of fiends collapsed and dissipated, only to be replaced by dozens more. Just then a terrific howling sound broke through the clouds, causing the mass of fiends to glance up once again. Some of the troopers clutched their weapons tighter and tensed up, preparing to charge. Baralai raised a hand, holding it steady.  
  
The howl from the clouds turned into a roar, and the eyes of every fiend widened as the unmistakable form of the Celsius screamed out of the sky at full throttle, diving directly towards the Plains. At the last possible second it leveled out, skimming over the ground at a breakneck speed- a testament to the bravery and/or recklessness of the man behind the controls. The forward engine shields became battering rams, crushing Wrathfangs beneath them as easily as if they were eggshells. Countless fiends ran for cover as the airship cleaved a swath into the middle of the menagerie. The access ramp beneath shot open and the ship slowed down rapidly, allowing four warriors to jump clear and hit the ground running at full force. The second they touched ground, the Celsius pulled up and circled back, gathering speed and gouging another swath into the left flank of the fiends' forces. What remained of the rear echelon of fiend forces surged forward in an attempt to crush the new arrivals, but their advance was quickly halted as Tidus swung his sword in a wide arc, slamming it to the ground and channeling the Earth Crystal at the same time, causing a wave of stalagmites to shoot out of the ground and toss fiends about like dry leaves. Baralai's hand dropped, and troops streamed forward to meet the front lines on their own ground, weapons drawn and readied. Lucil drew her sword and shouted a word of command, spurring her mount forward with the other Knights hot on her heels. Swords clashed against claws, bullets screamed through the air and arcane energy flashed across the landscape.

* * *

Deep within the roiling gray mists concealed by the barrier, a lone figure glared at an image that hung in midair. The violet jewel in his palm flickered as the image changed from one fiend's eyes to another's. Malar's brow was furrowed in pure, unbridled rage as he watched the battle unfold.  
  
"Unbelievable," he growled. "Once again the world rises up against me." He watched as several Wrathfangs grappled with a Chocobo, nearly dismounting the rider before another Knight charged forward and broke the fiends' hold, carving great gouges into their flesh. The image shifted and he stared as Baralai spun and tumbled through the ranks, ripping his staff through his opponents' wings and following through with a series of flying kicks. Off to his side, Malar could barely make out Nooj as he peppered the fiends before him with magically charged bullets. He had dropped his cane and appeared to be striding forward without so much as a limp.  
  
Another image shift. There was Paine, ducking beneath the claws of a Morlach and driving her right hand, weaponless, into its jellylike lower body. Malar gnashed his teeth as he saw her eyes and hand glow bright gold and lightning tore through the fiend from the inside out. "I will make you pay for forsaking your bloodline, whelp....." he muttered, then stopped as the scene shifted again. His eyes widened as he saw another Morlach collapse and disintegrate, killed by a single shot from Gippal's Fiendgrinder. Gippal swung around, chambered and fired another shot into a squad of Wrathfangs, then flipped the gun off his shoulder and turning the circular saw on. He had begun to cleave his way through more fiends when Malar shook his head and changed the image once more.  
  
There they were. The High Summoner and her Guardian, acting in perfect unison and cutting a swath through the fiends as fast as they could. Not far behind them, he could just make out Rikku and Paine acting as rear guard. Rikku had donned the form of an Alchemist and was channeling the Fire Crystal in an interesting way; tendrils of energy had constricted around the gun she brandished, transforming it into an impromptu flamethrower. Malar's scowl grew as he watched her blast gouts of flame into the faces of his creations, then grew even more as he beheld Yuna summoning forth a volley of ice lances which tore a terrific hole in yet another section of the fiend forces. He could barely make out Tidus say, "Come on! It's just over the ridge!" as he drove his blade into the ground, conjuring a dome of gravitational energy that crushed the squad directly in front of him. With a growl and a clench of his hand, the image faded and Malar stared into the gray wastes around him.  
  
"So they have come knocking at my front door," he purred dangerously. "In a way, their timing is impeccable."  
  
He glanced over his shoulder. Just behind him, he could make out four enormous serpentine heads hanging above him, concealed by the eldritch vapors. Orange eyes glowed on each head, and further in the mists the semblance of massive wings could be seen as well. A low rumble came from the maws of the four heads. Malar's face shifted, the anger replaced by belligerent smugness.  
  
"The Four have come to pay you a visit," he said. "Their friends will be otherwise occupied, I'm afraid.....especially when my remaining soldiers have finished their swim." The look in his eyes took on a more menacing tone. "Still, the Four should be suitable playthings for you, my masterpiece......  
  
"My magnificent Tiamat."  
  
To Be Continued.......  
  
[A/N: As tempting as it is to try and choreograph the entire battle between the armies, it would take far too long and besides, the real fight is the one where YTRP storms Malar's barrier, right? At least that's how I see it. Please review, and stay tuned for the next chapter as Armageddon breaks loose in the Thunder Plains. And what exactly is Tiamat? Only one way to find out! -Neon Ronin] 


	15. Blood, Sweat and Tears

[A/N: Now the real fun begins. I don't own FFX-2 though I would it were otherwise. Welcome back to the war.]  
  
Chapter 15: Blood, Sweat and Tears  
  
Lulu's head jerked up. She glanced out the door of the hut but couldn't see anything except a few lone birds. She blinked and shook her head slightly. A vexed look crossed her eyes and briefly all she could do was stare at the floor. Vidina gurgled in her arms, but she didn't seem to notice for a moment. Wakka looked over from the side of the hut where he was preparing lunch.  
  
"What's wrong, Lu? You okay?" Lulu didn't answer for a moment, then blinked twice and seemed to awaken from her reverie. "I.... I think so," she replied in a low voice.  
  
"Come on, Lu. I know when somethin's buggin' you. You're not the kind that just spaces out like that, ya? What's wrong?"  
  
Lulu said nothing for a moment, a distant look still in her eyes as she shifted her position to nurse her son. She took a deep breath and looked at Wakka.  
  
"I just had a bad feeling," she said quietly. "I think Yuna might be in serious danger......"

* * *

The carnage on the Thunder Plains had escalated to a new level as Council troops and Malar's fiends dug into each other with unbridled ferocity. Artillery crews worked frantically to reload as volley after volley of rockets was launched into the hordes of Wrathfangs. The bombardment was becoming riskier as more fiends engaged the troops, but it was a clear necessity. The effectiveness of the initial attack had worn off, and the battle was now producing losses for both sides. A stray bolt of lightning had caused one of the Celsius' hover turbines to stall out, forcing Brother to abandon the battlefield and try for something akin to a soft landing. A squad of Wrathfangs charged one of the armored Hovers, grasping its starboard runner and pushing forward with unprecedented force; the Hover veered to the side, tipped over and crashed into the remnants of a lightning tower. The Hover's riders scrambled to their feet and charged their attackers, but the fiends' numbers were greater and tore into the troops, killing half of them off instantly. The remaining forces scrambled for cover but could find none except their own wrecked transport. Fiends began encircling them from all sides when a war cry erupted not far from them, followed by Lucil charging her mount into the fray accompanied by two other Knights. Their Chocobos were tiring with smears of blood streaking their feathers, but there was still enough fight left in them to turn the tide for a few brief moments.  
  
Nooj cursed under his breath as he reloaded and fired into the fray. Time had done nothing to diminish his skill with a firearm; each bullet caught a fiend right between the eyes and sent it reeling. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of five more charging his position. He whirled to face them and suddenly stared as all five were caught in a massive blast of wind, crushing them backwards into their own forces. A quick glance and he saw LeBlanc brandish her fan and blow him a kiss. _Maybe I was underestimating her_,he thought to himself with a smile. Jamming a higher-power arcane shell into his gun, he spun around and fired into the midst of a nearby fiend squad; the shell exploded, inciting a whirlwind of energy that tore into the monstrous soldiers, leeching the life force from their bodies.  
  
"For the glory of Lord Malar!!!" bellowed a Morlach, seconds before one of Gippal's shots tore through its ribcage and caused it to collapse into itself in a pile of sludge. Gippal glared at the remains of the fiend, ejecting the spent clip from his Fiendgrinder and slamming a new one in. He was just pulling the cocking mechanism back when a lone Wrathfang clawed its way out of the melee, leaping high in the air just behind him. Gippal glanced over his shoulder, his good eye widening as the fiend descended on him. He darted over to the side just as its claw came blazing through the air, catching him across the shoulder blades and driving him face-first into the mud. The fiend began to laugh and poised itself to tear him to pieces, when a series of gunshots rang out and nine slugs ripped through the Wrathfang's back and out its chest. The fiend gave a feeble shriek before dropping to its knees and dissolving. Gippal groaned and struggled to his knees, looking behind him. Logos shot him a quick smile before slamming a pair of speedloaders into his recently emptied revolvers.  
  
Much further to the South, the Gullwings continued their advance on the barrier with renewed vigor. Tidus slashed his way through the fiends before them like cord wood, the blade of his sword glowing green as he poured the energy of the Earth Crystal into it. Yuna twirled her guns and spun around, positioning herself defensively so that she and Tidus were back to back. "How much further is it to that barrier?" she hollered over the cacophony, blasting another wave of lead into the closest squad of Wrathfangs.  
  
"Just over the hill!" Tidus replied. "Looks like somebody forgot to leave the Welcome mat out!"  
  
"He certainly didn't scrimp on a welcoming committee!" Yuna said as she activated her Grid, assuming her bronze Warrior armor and drawing her sword. Tidus glanced at her and they nodded in unison. Crossing her sword over his in an X-formation, the two of them charged side by side at the squads that were gathering in front of them. At the last second their swords flashed forward simultaneously, scoring trails of light through the air and generating a cruciform scythe of energy that ripped wicked gashes through their attackers. Six Wrathfangs collapsed and burst into pyreflies; the ones who remained attempted to regroup and assaulted the two of them with a vengeance. Both Tidus and Yuna fell into defensive stances but could not fully avoid the claws that tore into their arms and legs. Blood began to speck across the ground as the fiends dug in further, only interrupted as a sudden burst of lightning from Paine's hand engulfed their draconic bodies and scorched their wings to cinders.  
  
Rikku dashed up and procured a Mega-Potion, spraying the powerful healing salve over the four of them. "Haven't we made it there yet?" she whined. "This is beginning to get old really fast!"  
  
"You can say that again," Paine growled as she slammed her sword into a hapless fiend's abdomen, twisting the blade and driving upwards through its ribcage. "I've heard of death by attrition but this is ridiculous."  
  
Just beyond them, the iridescent glow of the barrier loomed high in the sky, whorls of color mixing flowing in a bizarre dance. Here the concentration of fiends was at its worst, a grotesque mixture of Malar's Wrathfangs and Morlachs in conjunction with a bevy of some of Spira's more common fiends. Yet even the more recognizable fiends had been warped, in some cases twice the size as they were normally or mutated into something deadlier. Yuna gaped in awe as she beheld Armets ten feet tall, Quadricorns with blackened and serrated horns. _This is not the time to stare and wonder why_,she told herself. _We're this close to the barrier, we can't stop now!  
_  
_Use our powers as one- the power of ultimate protection._  
  
Yuna's eyes went wide as two voices spoke in her head. She glanced over to Tidus; just as she thought, his eyes had gone wide as well. "You heard them too?" she asked.  
  
"Loud and clear," he replied. "Want to give it a shot?"  
  
"Let's do it!" The two of them shouldered their swords for a moment and raised their right hands. The Earth and Water Crystals began to glow in unison, two bright lights that caused several of the horde before them to wince in irritation. A serpentine mist began to flow from each crystal rapidly, turning in midair and mixing with one another. A strange aquamarine light began to emerge from the whirlpool of sapphire and emerald, growing brighter still and eliciting stares from Paine and Rikku. Several fiends grunted in astonishment and began to take a step or two backwards. Seconds later the whirlpool became a sphere of pure energy that seemed ready to burst at any second. Yuna and Tidus opened their eyes at the exact same second, glaring at their opponents. "SUPREME GUARD!!!" they shouted in unison. The sphere burst open, scattering a cloud of aqualine energy that coursed over YTRP and prompted another round of fiendish stares. Rikku blinked as adrenaline surged through her veins and a sense of security enveloped her like a blanket. She turned to Paine, who bore a look of iron determination in her eyes. "What time?" she asked, locking and loading her alchemical rifle.  
  
"Hurt time!!" Paine replied. The words seemed to trigger a reaction both in the fiends and in the four of them. With a great roar, the platoon before them advanced with fangs and claws bared. Suddenly a smallish circular object was lofted into the sky above the fiends, something barely the size of an apple. It seemed to scintillate with a deep ruby aura for a few brief seconds, drawing the attention of a few of the forward line. Their interest soon became horror as the Fire Crystal-enhanced grenade exploded in a maelstrom of flame and shrapnel, scorching hides and tearing fiend flesh to shreds. The next minute became nothing short of chaos defined as the four warriors charged forward, weapons flashing in the dim light of the Plains. Claws were smashed, wings perforated and torsos gouged, frozen or scorched. Yuna and Tidus both activated their Gunner spheres, spinning furiously and firing crystal-enhanced rounds at anything that moved, and every bullet found a mark. Rikku heaved one grenade after another so fast, the explosions occurred almost in unison. Paine's sword had become a wave of steel, cleaving a path almost faster than the fiends could approach her. It didn't take very long for some of the rear echelons to break ranks, scattering to the sides in an attempt to break through and reach the main troops beyond. Of those, only half remained standing as Paine assumed Dark Knight form and unleashed a destructive wave of Darkness at the stragglers, grimacing in irritation as she felt her own life force ebb for a moment.  
  
Yuna ejected her spent clips, popping fresh ones in as she gazed upward. The barrier rose before them like a monolith, pulsing and scintillating with chromatic swirls. She took a deep breath, wincing as several gashes along her stomach screamed at her. "So this is it," she said at length. "But how do we get through?"  
  
Rikku sorted through her reserve Alchemist satchel, locating several Elixirs she had stashed for emergencies. "We haven't got too many of these left, but with what's ahead we might as well use them now!" she said, passing them out to the others. She turned and gazed North where the conflagration was still raging, then tapped her headset radio. "Brother, Buddy, are you guys doing okay? How's the ship?"  
  
Brother's voice crackled in the earpiece. "Fa myhtat cyvamo, pid dra creb ec eh hu luhtedeuh du vmo ihdem fa lyh avvald nabyenc! Cocdasc yna kuehk ryofena; fa'na dnoehk du gaab y muf bnuvema ihdem....." A wave of static burst out of the radio, causing Rikku to wince in pain for a few seconds. She shook her head, then tapped the radio again. "Brother? Brother, come in! I didn't get that last part!" No response came. She switched the earpiece off and on again, tapped it once more and tried another hailing. No response was forthcoming. A worried look crossed her face as she turned back to the others. "It's gotta be just an equipment malfunction, you guys. They've gotta be alright." Her voice was positive but a nervous air lingered in her eyes.  
  
[Translation: We landed safely, but the ship is in no condition to fly until we can effect repairs! Systems are going haywire; we're trying to keep a low profile until.....]  
  
Tidus stepped closer to the barrier, gazing at it in awe as colored lights swam back and forth, mixing into muddied conglomerations and just as quickly dispersing. "Talk about no sense of order....." he muttered. A faint glow caught his eye, a small point of chartreuse that seemed to rest motionless on the barrier surface, just to his right and about chest-high. He took a step towards it. The hue changed, turning a deeper shade of grass-green. Tidus blinked. "That's odd."  
  
"What is?" Yuna asked.  
  
"There's part of the barrier that's not like the rest," he replied. "It's not constantly changing; it just sits there and it only changed color when I got closer to it." He glanced down at the Earth Crystal on his right hand. It was scintillating with the exact same hue as the spot in front of him. A thought crossed his mind and he raised his hand slowly, bringing it close to the barrier. The spot began to grow larger. Light tendrils of electricity began to play across his fingers, startling him but not actually inflicting much pain. Rikku looked over his shoulder. "Why is it acting like that?" she asked. "What's going on?"  
  
"Looks like he left us a welcome mat after all," Tidus replied. "If this means what I think it does, he wants us to come in. Only us." His hand finally came to rest upon the energy field. The spot of green grew larger still. Taking a deep breath, he pressed forward lightly.  
  
His hand entered the field with hardly any resistance. Tidus blinked, drawing his hand back out again. There was no sign of damage or any other abnormalities.  
  
"Let me try it," Yuna said, stepping up to the barrier. Raising her right hand, she could clearly see an aqua point emerge on the barrier. It, too, grew in size as her hand approached.  
  
"So the field responds to the presence of the crystals," said Paine. "Not much of a surprise."  
  
Yuna took a deep breath. "I guess this is where we split off from the Council forces."  
  
"Guess so," Tidus answered. "I hope they'll be okay," he added, glancing back at the battle that was apparently starting to shift in the Council's favor.  
  
Yuna tapped her own radio. "Gullwings to Three Wise Men. We've made it to the far side and we're going in. Make sure you stay alive until we finish the job."  
  
Nooj's voice came back to her. "We read you, Yuna. Don't worry about us, just go." Yuna nodded to the others, and one by one they approached the energy field, raising their crystals to the surface. The field shimmered, edging away from their hands as they stepped forward. A great depression formed in the barrier, deepening further until it widened out and opened at the far end. Dark mist ebbed along the ground, obscuring their view of anything inside the field. With a quick nod and a deep breath, the four of them stepped past the barrier line and into the fog within. No sooner had they been swallowed up by the mist than the energy field folded itself closed once again.  
  
Far to the North, Nooj relayed Yuna's message to Baralai and Gippal. "So they made it, huh?" the Al Bhed said, taking a hefty swig of healing potion. "Let's hope they get that bastard taken care of so that we can go home."  
  
"Artillerists! Another barrage!" Nooj shouted. Gunfire and rocket blasts responded in kind, sailing to the outer edges of the swath of fiends and sending shrieks echoing across the valley. "Make sure ammunition supplies are decently stocked, we don't want to run out before this battle's over!"  
  
All of a sudden, a cacophony of fiendish howls erupted astonishingly close by. Baralai glanced in all directions. "Where is that coming from? Are they taking to the skies again?"  
  
The howls came again, followed by the cries of Council soldiers. Gippal swung around, wincing as the wounds on his back ripped open again. A look of horror shot across his face. "No..... oh geez, no!" he exclaimed. Nooj and Baralai spun in the direction he was gazing; identical expressions of shock crossed both of their faces as well. Squads of Wrathfangs were charging at them from the North out of Macalania Woods, exploding from beneath the surface of the remaining rivers and lakes. The great river that ran across the Northern edge of the Plains from the mountains was surging with fiends as well. In teams of four or more, they burst from the water and almost instantly became airborne, barreling directly into the almost totally unprepared rear echelons. Baralai gasped. "He planned this right from the start," he exclaimed. "We were so busy concentrating on land and air assaults, we never reckoned attacks from underwater!"  
  
Nooj nodded solemnly. "We thought we could corner him on the Plains, but he was setting us up all along." The three of them grasped their weapons and began issuing new orders as the fiends launched an all-out attack on both sides..........

* * *

The space within the barrier was warped beyond recognition. Thick gray mists wafted across the landscape, obscuring the ground for the most part and sending chills across any exposed flesh it came in contact with. Several shapes could be made out in the distance- lightning towers that still stood, the ruined walls of the Travel Agency- but their forms seemed to flow like liquid. It became impossible to discern distances as the four warriors peered into the depths beyond. For the most part, the gray mists obscured everything to the South with the exception of a tower or two. The sky above pulsed and throbbed a menacing shade of purple. Yuna shivered as the cold mist caressed her legs, reminding her of the bizarre nature of the Sea of Sorrow, the otherworldly maze within the body of Sin that they had traversed well over two years before.  
  
"This is really creeping me out," Rikku said in a low voice, aiming her rifle into the fog and pushing her goggles up on her forehead. "It's way too quiet in here; I can't even hear what's going on outside."  
  
"The radio's not working either," said Yuna, tapping her earpiece. "Nothing but static. Looks like we're on our own."  
  
Tidus switched Dresspheres, resuming his regular garb and brandishing his sword with an angry look in his eyes. "Come on out, Malar!! You might as well show yourself and stop with the delay tactics!!" Beside him, Yuna raised both her automatics, scanning the horizon for any sign of life. Paine shouldered her serrated Dark Knight sword and took a deep breath. Rikku took a moment to check her ingredients pouch and nodded to the others. Slowly but surely, YTRP began to advance further into the icy fog. Their steps were measured, taking care not to charge and trip over an obscured rock. Tidus reached forward, using Caladbolg as a test prod to make sure their path was clear. For several long moments, the four of them progressed in silence, past the Agency wreckage and down the steep hill that led to the lower foothills of the Thunder Plains.  
  
"I don't like this one bit," Paine muttered, squinting into the opaque wall of mist. "He's playing head games with us again. With all this fog, he may not even be here after all."  
  
Yuna nodded. "I wondered about that myself," she replied. "But something tells me he's here. He's just waiting to make a move."  
  
"You children really do enjoy making this difficult, don't you."  
  
The four of them froze, their eyes darting forward. A section of the mist a dozen yards away had parted, revealing the head and upper torso of Malar. His arms were crossed over his chest as he appeared to float in midair, glaring at each person in turn. A faint violet aura danced about him, giving his body a strange luminescence in the darkness of the Plains. "I tried to warn you once before," he purred dangerously. "All you had to do was submit quietly and no more would have been hurt than necessary. But you had to be rebellious. You had to gather the Four. And now I may very well have to kill you."  
  
"You think anyone would want to submit to a maniac?" Tidus growled. "You're going to pay for what you've done, you son of a bitch."  
  
"My, my. Such strong words from one such as you, boy. You have no concept of tact, I fear."  
  
"And you have no concept of reality!" Yuna shouted, pointing both guns directly at Malar's forehead. "Let's settle this right here and now!!"  
  
Malar grinned. "I think not. You see, I promised my newborn masterpiece some playtime, and you shall. Provide it. In. ABUNDANCE!!!!" He raised his bracer-clad arms and the mist began to whip away rapidly, causing all of YTRP to raise their arms and shield their eyes for a brief second. The second they lowered their hands again, their eyes went wide. As the mist peeled back, the rest of Malar's form was revealed to be perched atop a massive black-scaled draconic head. Orange eyes snapped open and the beast growled, a low rumble that echoed across the landscape. The mist dispersed further still, exposing the long serpentine neck covered in ebony scales....which was suddenly joined by three similar yet smaller ones, differing in color but not in ferocity as their own respective heads were revealed. The black head was flanked by one white and one red head below, with one dark blue head directly next to it. The creature's gargantuan draconic body came into view, rippling with muscle, sinew and shimmering ebony scales. Its four clawed legs gripped the earth with vengeful force. Demonic wings that defied imagination and seemed to want to blot out the sky spread out from the creature's shoulders, and far in the distance a whiplike tail with serrated barbs lashed across the ground. Yuna stared in shock; the fiend before them was not so colossal as Sin or Vegnagun, but it was one of the most massive fiends she had ever seen anywhere in Spira.  
  
"Forged from the bodies of fifty fiends. My greatest accomplishment. You shall be the first to feel Tiamat's fury!!!" Malar's voice boomed as he disappeared from atop the fiend's ebony head. Four gaping fanged maws bellowed into the amethyst-tinted skies as the monstrosity raised its left foreleg. A clawed foot came crashing to the ground, sending a massive shockwave coursing through the earth that knocked all four warriors off their feet. Two of Tiamat's heads leaned closer to the ground, demonic light flashing in its orange eyes.  
  
Rikku stared at the fiend in pure, abject terror. "I think this is gonna be tougher than we thought....." she squeaked.  
  
"This isn't anything we haven't had to deal with before," Paine said gruffly, jamming her sword into the ground and pulling herself up. "We've fought fiends this size before, right? We fought against Humbaba and Angra Mainyu, and we got through those, didn't we? Who's to say we can't do this again?"  
  
"It sure doesn't look any worse than Sin," Tidus added, springing to his feet. "Four heads, forty heads.......We've just gotta wear it down. We can do this!"  
  
"Just like we did with Vegnagun," said Yuna as she stood up, crossing her guns in front of her. "We take it out one little piece at a time." Rikku nodded, taking a deep breath and standing up as well. The two heads nearest them, the white and red ones, growled as the beast took another step forward.  
  
"You're right, guys," Rikku finally said. "Can't give up before we teach that moron a lesson." She swung her rifle up at the very second Tiamat unleashed a horrific bellow and lunged forward, fanged maws spreading wide. "Rock and roll!!!!"  
  
Tidus dashed forward, ducking underneath the crimson head and slamming his sword to the ground. A crashing wave of emerald stalagmites erupted from beneath Tiamat's feet, impaling several of its toes and causing it to grunt in irritation. A quick wave of Tidus' hand and the spikes became a writhing mass of tentacles, coiling around the fiend's legs and binding it to the ground. The fiend grunted and pulled forward, ripping the tentacles to pieces; Tidus barely had time to assess what had just happened before a massive taloned leg whipped around, catching him across the chest and knocking him back towards the others. Yuna gasped and swung her guns upward, unleashing a maelstrom of lead that smashed into the ivory head, knocking it backwards slightly. Rikku slammed several ingredients together, mixing up a high-powered explosive which she promptly heaved into the oncoming maw of the crimson head. The bomb exploded directly in the fiend's mouth- but to her astonishment, the head seemed completely unaffected. The crimson head snapped at them viciously, carving brutal gouges into Yuna and Paine as the ivory head reared back, a bizarre arcane glow forming in its mouth. Tidus jumped to his feet and jammed his sword into the underside of the crimson neck, eliciting fiendish groans of pain as he tore a wicked gash across the lower scales. At that moment, the ivory head opened its mouth wide and electricity seemed to leap from its fangs. Great gouts of lightning rained down upon all four of them as they desperately tried to find cover. Rikku, Yuna and Tidus all cried out as the lightning scorched their skin- and then all three of them stared. Paine had sustained a direct hit from the electricity but had not cried out. In fact she was standing there perfectly still, a gold glow enveloping her body that seemed to originate from her right hand. Her injuries seemed to have disappeared completely.  
  
_Now you know something more of our nature_,Strahl's voice echoed inside of Paine's mind. _Draw strength from that which is like us_. Paine turned to the others and shouted, "Watch its elemental attacks! If they don't match your crystal, you might be in trouble!" A trio of nods was her response, and the real battle began.  
  
Tiamat seemed to become a whirlwind as its other two heads joined in the fray. Claws and fangs flashed faster, trying to tear its prey to ribbons and in some cases very nearly succeeding. Tidus leaped and rolled, swinging at Tiamat's legs and aiming for its key tendons in an attempt to weaken its physical attacks. He scored several good hits, but nothing seemed to weaken it as he soon discovered through sustaining another massive claw attack. Yuna was trying to put out the beast's many eyes one by one, which she rapidly discovered was a waste of time; the bobbing and weaving of the four heads made it impossible to get a lock. Gritting her teeth, she channeled the power of her Water Crystal into her guns, blasting a furious storm of ice-blue rounds at the exact same moment the crimson head opened its mouth and exhaled a stream of flame in her direction. She screamed and dropped to one knee as the heat threatened to suffocate her, barely noticing the severity of the howls coming from the crimson head. Rikku sprayed the party down with another Mega-Potion before drawing a bead on the cyan head, which lurched forward and began snapping at her legs. Its fangs drew blood several times before she took a step forward, jamming her rifle into the blue maw and channeling the Fire Crystal before pulling the trigger. A stream of fire shot down its serpentine throat, causing it to recoil viciously and squeal in agony.  
  
The ebony head glared downwards, opening its mouth and producing a beam of pure negative energy that tore across the landscape like a knife. The blast caught all four of them and sent them sprawling on the ground, gasping for breath. Rikku dug frantically into her satchel for more medicinals as Tidus and Yuna struggled to their feet, joining their hands together and summoning another Supreme Guard with the combined power of their crystals. Paine glared at Tiamat and shot her right hand up in the air; a golden glow enveloped her hand as a javelin of pure light coalesced within her fingers, shooting forward with unprecedented force. The javelin plunged into the monster's flank, inciting growls of pain and hateful glares from each of the four heads. Tiamat's cyan head reared back and roared, expelling a typhoon of ice shards and freezing gas that threatened to turn the black mist of the Plains into black ice. Rikku gasped and fell to one knee. Tidus winced heavily but stood as best he could, as did Paine. This time Yuna did not cry out or collapse; the crystal on her hand shone with a vengeance as it seemed to absorb the whirlwind of ice that was peppering her body. Seconds later she raised both hands, channeling the power of her White Lore and casting a powerful healing spell on the others. "We're going about this the wrong way!" she shouted over Tiamat's shrieks of anger. "We need to attack one head at a time, otherwise it's going to slaughter us!!" With that, she spun back towards the fiend, thrusting her right hand forward once more. The crystal glowed blue-white and the familiar angelic hum emerged as a stream of pure energy burst forth, colliding with the crimson head and slashing wicked lines across its brow.  
  
Tiamat roared in agony, slamming both forelegs to the ground and producing another shockwave, knocking everybody off their feet once again for a few seconds. "Okay, at first I was a little scared of this thing," Rikku griped as she scrambled to her feet, plunging a hand into her satchel. "Now I'm getting really PISSED OFF!!!" Cramming two ingredients together, she began sprinting right for Tiamat's crimson head just as it was preparing to exhale another gout of flame. With a distinctly Al Bhed war cry, Rikku hurled the Winter Storm grenade down its throat at the same instant a cloud of flame washed over her. The crystal on her hand shone bright vermillion as it seemed to suck the fire in; seconds later a low thud erupted within the beast's throat and the crimson head's eyes bulged in shock. Paine dashed in from the side, trading her Dark Knight Dressphere for that of a Berserker. Claws flashed across the underside of the fiend, scattering red scales everywhere before she slammed her heels into the ground, spun around and punched upwards, tearing through muscle and veins and ripping a wicked chasm into the beast's trachea. With a strangled squeal, the crimson head and neck lost all motor control and tore away from the main body of Tiamat, exploding into pyreflies as it did so. The three remaining heads glared angrily, lurching forward and snapping at YTRP with a vengeance. The protection afforded by Supreme Guard finally gave way, enabling Tiamat to knock the four warriors about and fleck the earth and stones with blood.  
  
Tidus kicked up from where he landed, digging into his belt pouch and tossing an X-Potion to Yuna, who promptly gulped it down and jumped to her feet. "Time for this Blitzer to fly!!" he cried, slamming his right hand to the ground as the Earth Crystal shone brightly. A scythe of energy tore the ground around him, carving a circular pattern with him at the direct center. With a tremendous crack and rumble, the section of earth rose sharply, breaking away and shooting upwards with phenomenal speed. Tiamat stared in confusion as the pillar of rock rose higher and higher, and just as it reached its apex, Tidus leaped forward directly at Tiamat's central ebony head. Yuna gasped and wrung her hands as the fiend lunged to try and catch him in its mouth, when suddenly he planted his foot directly in Tiamat's lower jaw and kicked upwards yet again, using its teeth as a springboard. Blue-green energy began to swirl around his blade as he raised it up high, and the second he reached the height of his jump, he swung the sword forward again. The Energy Rain caught Tiamat completely off guard as darts of destructive force pummeled all three of its remaining heads, sending it reeling for a moment. Tidus flipped backwards onto the rapidly descending pillar of rock, landing in a crouch as he returned to ground level again, breathing hard.  
  
"Are you okay?" Yuna said as she dashed over. "That was unbelievable; I can't believe you had enough energy left to channel your crystal like that!"  
  
"Yeah, well I think I may have burned myself nearly dry with that one," Tidus replied with a slight chuckle. "How about you and the others? Are you holding up?"  
  
"Only just," she replied, pulling him to his feet and backward as Tiamat recovered and lunged forward again. Two sets of fangs gouged the ground where they had just been standing. "We'd better get what Ethers we have left in stock ready!"  
  
"One step ahead of you, Yunie," came Rikku's response as she procured several Ether vials, tossing them to the others and downing one herself. That done, she punched her Grid, shedding her Alchemist clothes in favor of her Thief garb.  
  
Tiamat lunged forward again, blasting the four of them with the combined fury of its ivory and cyan heads. Ice and lightning rained down upon them with a vengeance, and this time Yuna and Paine both took the brunt of the attack- whereas their crystals matched one breath weapon, they didn't match the other and consequently could not adjust in time. Tidus smashed his sword to the ground again, causing two enormous spears of rock to erupt directly beneath Tiamat, driving into two of its remaining necks and forcing more squeals of pain. The blue neck dropped low, racing along the ground with mouth wide open, snapping and tearing at first Tidus, then Paine; it attempted to strike at Yuna next when Rikku executed a daring backflip and landed right on the beast's neck, daggers out and ablaze with Vora's fury. Tiamat reared its cyan head up high, shaking left to right in an attempt to dislodge its attacker, but Rikku held on for dear life and jammed both flaming daggers into its neck. "All right!! Now this is a rodeo!!" she hollered, flipping into an impromptu handstand as her eyes glowed bright red. Fire engulfed her lithe form and blazed its way along the beast's neck and into its mouth. With a cry of agony, Tiamat swung its ivory head around and smashed directly into Rikku; the sudden shock finally dislodged her and she began to plummet to the ground. Yuna shrieked, throwing both hands up into the air and focusing on Naia's protective nature, rather than her harsher side. A pillar of rushing water surged upwards from her hands, catching Rikku in mid-fall and cushioning her descent. Slowly Yuna eased the pillar's height, allowing Rikku to drop to the ground more or less unscathed. The ivory head swung back towards them, its maw opening wide to unleash another electrical attack, when all at once Paine dashed forward and drove her right knee into its lower jaw, followed by a succession of quick claw strikes that sent the ivory head reeling for a moment.  
  
"This is taking too long," Tidus griped as he and Yuna joined their crystals to conjure another Supreme Guard. "We've got to get those heads thinned out faster!"  
  
Rikku's eyes lit up. "Hang on, I've got an idea!" she cried, turning to Paine who was just assuming her Warrior garb once more. "Paine, what do you think might happen if we combine our crystals' energy together?"  
  
Paine shrugged. "Guess it wouldn't hurt to try," she replied, raising her right hand forward. Rikku did likewise, focusing inward as her crystal and Paine's began to glow brightly.  
  
_Join the whirlwind dance of the Air_.....Strahl's voice intoned.  
  
_With the blaze and glory that is Fire_...Vora's voice replied. Tendrils of red and gold shot forth from their hands, merging into a burning miasma that seemed ready to explode at a moment's notice. Tiamat's heads squinted in bewilderment and reared back in preparation to strike once more.  
  
Rikku and Paine opened their eyes at the exact same instant. "MEGIDDO FLARE!!!!"  
  
The glowing mass shot towards the upper body of the fiend before them, pinpricks of light shooting out in all directions. Just as it was about to collide with Tiamat, it erupted in a colossal explosion of hellfire and brimstone that caused all four of them to wince and shield their eyes. Tiamat screeched and flailed in all directions, its tail slashing great furrows into the ground behind it. Scorching waves raced up and down its serpentine necks, causing countless chromatic scales to rain down on those below. The cyan head gurgled and gasped as it became immolated beyond recognition, finally breaking away and bursting into nothingness. Seconds later, the ivory head succumbed to the forces battering it and shattered into pyreflies as well.  
  
The flames quickly vanished, leaving behind the single ebony head. Tiamat stared at its "playthings" and suddenly reared up on its hind legs with a great howl; its forelegs abruptly bulged and grew longer, forepaws rearranging themselves into an opposable hand configuration. Its hind legs grew as well to counterbalance and prevent the beast from falling. Its great wings spread out wide as it settled into this new bipedal form and glared at YTRP with burning eyes. With a great shout akin to a lion's roar, Tiamat swung its arms forward and began digging into the four of them with renewed zeal. Yuna ducked and rolled, emptying both guns into the colossus and reloading as fast as possible; Tiamat swung its right claw directly at her but Tidus darted in at the last second, channeling his crystal and calling forth a rock shield that absorbed the force of the blow. Rikku sprang forward, activating her Gun Mage sphere and blazing into Tiamat's hide with a 1000 Needles attack; the creature roared and swung its head low to the ground, raking its fangs across everybody within reach. Just as it was about to rise upwards, Paine stepped in close and drove her sword across the left side of its face, followed by a roundhouse kick that sent it recoiling a few feet. Rikku raised her gun and sprayed a White Wind capsule over all of them, just seconds before Tiamat expectorated a torrential wave of black acid that seared everybody's flesh to the point of nearly total collapse.  
  
Yuna gasped for breath as she tried to push herself into a standing position. "We can't let it win," she sputtered. "We've just got to keep pushing....." Her legs burned as she staggered onto her feet, determination creasing her brow. "We've come this far, we can't quit now!!!" She gripped both guns tightly as blue energy coursed into them from her crystal. Next to her, Tidus and Rikku had struggled upward and were raising their weapons, also pulsing with energy from their respective crystals. Paine was the last to rise, her sword crackling with electricity. Tiamat stared as the four of them dashed forward; Rikku utilized her White Wind technique once again before twirling her gun and channeling Vora's fire through it in a deadly whirlwind of blistering heat. Paine slammed her sword into Tiamat's left leg, twisting the blade as Strahl's power caused her eyes to shine gold and lightning to shoot through the fiend's extremities. Yuna's guns unleashed a maelstrom of focused arcane energy that tore holes across the beast's massive chest seconds before Tidus swung his sword in a wide arc, throwing dozens of rock spikes into the air that slammed across Tiamat's abdomen. The fiend roared in incredible pain and dropped to all fours, its head glaring at each of its agressors- then suddenly blinked as Tidus leaped into the air higher than one would think humanly possible, his entire body glowing with an emerald light.  
  
"SEE YA!!" he shouted as his sword crashed down, charged with the gravitational forces of the Earth Crystal.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
A gash line shot diagonally across Tiamat's face. A hideous shriek shot forth from deep within its body as the massive creature collapsed and began to twitch violently on the surface of the plains. Its skin became translucent as great clouds of pyreflies boiled out of its carcass, which screeched and thrashed in a desperate yet futile attempt to hang on. Its tail slammed against the rocks one last time, its wings pounded the ground even as they grew thin and frail. With one final groan, the great beast collapsed into the cold black mists pervading the Thunder Plains, its form cracking apart and falling into itself. The fog of pyreflies grew thin as more and more dispersed and vanished into thin air.  
  
The plains grew silent once more.  
  
Yuna wiped a hand across her brow. "We did it," she gasped. "We faced it down, and...."  
  
"YOU MEDDLING CRETINS!!!"  
  
They spun around. Malar was striding forward out of the black mists, violet light shooting across his body and a look of unbridled fury in his eyes. With a great shout, he drew the sword at his side and smashed it into the ground, generating a devastating quake that knocked everyone backwards a few paces. Before anyone could get up, he thrust his right palm forward, unleashing a wave of violet light that tore into their flesh and left them all sprawled across the dirt, gasping for breath.  
  
"I can see you are far too stubborn for your own good," he growled as he stood over their crumpled forms. "Time to teach you one last lesson." He raised his hands and began to chant. "Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, hear my voice and obey......"  
  
Yuna coughed and forced her eyes open. She could barely make out Tidus sprawled on his stomach, groaning in agony. Rikku was lying on her back, breathing hard....and Paine was slowly but surely rising to her feet. "No....." she gasped. "Please, no..... not again, Paine, please don't listen to him......"  
  
Malar grinned. Paine staggered into an upright position, still bleeding heavily but breathing normally. She held her sword in a relaxed grip by her side and slowly began to walk towards Malar. Rikku's eyes opened slightly. "Paine...... don't do this, you can't......"  
  
Paine said nothing. Her eyes were expressionless, her gait slow and methodical as she came to rest in front of Malar. A gust of wind rustled his shoulder-length black hair and his ruby eyes seemed to glitter.  
  
"Yuna......" Tidus groaned. "We've got to do something......" He jammed his elbow into the ground and began to push himself up.  
  
"I..... I don't think I can move....." Yuna whispered. "I.... I don't know what we can do now......"  
  
"Dammit, we can't let it end like this," Tidus replied, pulling himself closer to her. He rummaged frantically in his belt pouch, but could not find anything. What Remedy potions he had stocked had been shattered on the ground beside him. "Come on, Paine, get a hold of yourself......"  
  
A tear ran down Yuna's cheek. "Tidus...... I don't know if she can hear us anymore. And if that's so......" She stretched her hand out weakly, grasping his and holding on tight. A tear ran down his face as well; he struggled to get to his feet, but his legs would not let him. "I don't know how, but I'm not going to let it end like this," he whispered to her.  
  
"You might as well just lie down and accept fate, you two," Malar sneered. "And as for you....." He turned to Paine who stood before him with vacant eyes. "Do as you see fit."  
  
"I shall," Paine replied in an emotionless tone.  
  
Rikku squeezed her eyes shut, tensing up. Yuna gripped Tidus' hand tighter, trying to pull herself up but faring little better than he was.  
  
A sickening thump echoed across the Thunder Plains.  
  
A second later, Yuna's eyes snapped open, as did Tidus' and Rikku's. Malar's face had gone from coldly sadistic to dumbstruck and breathless, the natural reaction to Paine's fist which had driven into his solar plexus. He staggered back, staring at her eyes which now burned with unbridled fury; the next second, her left foot shot forward and caught him across the face, knocking him backward onto the cold earth.  
  
"You overconfident, arrogant bastard," Paine growled. "Did you really think I was going to let you do that to me all over again?" She grabbed the top of her left glove and yanked it down, revealing the Ribbon she had slipped on before leaving Gagazet. "It's far past time you learned the true meaning of what happens when you mess with the Gullwings." Driving a hand into her satchel, she grabbed one of the few precious Megalixirs they had stashed over time, popping the cap and literally drenching her comrades with its powerful healing energies. Yuna and Tidus sprang to their feet instantly, followed by Rikku who was sporting a big grin on her face.  
  
"Talk about surprise from behind! You scared the living hell out of us, Dr. P!" the Al Bhed crowed, a slight hint of mock-anger in her voice.  
  
"I just wanted to show him never to underestimate us," Paine replied cooly. "Let's finish this jerk off so we can go home."  
  
Yuna and Tidus nodded, brandishing their weapons as Malar sprang to his feet. "Time to end this," the two of them said in unison. Malar drew his sword and lunged forward, his eyes glinting in the twilight.  
  
To Be Concluded..........  
  
[A/N: This was a long chapter, I know, and some of you are probably screaming, "Why isn't Malar dead yet"? Well, this chapter took a long time to write and I wanted to save the showdown for its own little solo chappie. Rest assured, the final showdown with The Immortal is at hand. Please read and review; Tiamat may be dead, but what is happening outside the barrier? And how do you kill a man who can't die? Stay tuned!!! -Neon Ronin] 


	16. Checkmate

[A/N: I own no part of Square Enix or their creations, or any other source of inspiration. But then you've all heard this before. On with the show.]  
  
Chapter 16: Checkmate  
  
The two-sided attack was becoming steadily worse for the Council forces. Wrathfangs were closing in from all directions, tearing their way through any obstacles, living or not. Last-second repositioning of the troops had just barely saved them from being overrun, but having dug themselves into a defensive trench of sorts, they could not change their position without risking dozens of lives. Several artillery emplacements had to be abandoned in an effort to save as many lives as possible. The cries of the wounded and the dying were overpowered only by the shrieks of glee from the fiends surrounding them. Automatic fire raked across the chests of the Wrathfangs, but for every one that fell, another took its place.  
  
"Activate the Juggernaut! It's our only chance!" Gippal shouted over the discord and mayhem, swinging his Fiendgrinder onto his shoulder again and blasting another round into the hordes. A nearby tech nodded and punched the keys on a remote control pad frantically. Nooj turned towards Gippal as he fired more rounds into the fray. "Gippal, do you think that's a smart idea? That thing went berserk the first time you tried it at Djose!!"  
  
"You don't think I remember that?" Gippal hollered back, chambering another round. "That's why we called it an experiment back then! We've been working the bugs out, but even if it isn't perfect, what choice do we have??"  
  
A massive tarp-covered machina at the fringes of the Council position let out a massive groan, followed by several jets of blistering steam that burst the tarp's tie-downs and sent the canvas flying. The now uncovered machina reared its vaguely humanoid fore-section upwards, flexing its grapplers eagerly. The six armament pods mounted along the chassis swiveled into position, access ports popping open and rockets locking into place. With a shuddering rumble, the Experiment-renamed-Juggernaut began to crawl forward into the mass of fiends on a combination of tank treads and serrated barrel-sized wheels. The Wrathfangs stared at it for a second before charging towards it, attempting to claw the device to pieces. The machina spun with remarkable speed, swinging its arms downward across the chests of several fiends and ripping them to pieces. The rear pods shifted and rotated, sending a fusillade of rockets pouring out into the attackers before it. Council forces stared at the Juggernaut for a second before letting loose a euphoric cheer, followed by massive quantities of supporting fire and offensive magic. More squads of Wrathfangs and at least one Morlach began repositioning to surround the new threat, prompting the machina to activate its second set of weapon pods and fire another volley directly into a dozen fiendish faces.  
  
"Now that's what I'm talking about!!" Gippal whooped. "Always save your best card for last!"  
  
"We'd better see what ground we can gain before that thing runs out of ammunition," Baralai interjected, slapping an ammo clip into a nearby rifle and firing into the fray as fast as he could. The machina rotated again, this time charging directly into a squad of fiends and trampling a good number of them beneath its wheels. Its clawlike arms slashed outwards repeatedly, gouging more fiends to shreds, then folding inward as its third set of weapon pods sprang outward, rocket ports blazing. The streaks of pyreflies rising from the battlefield was growing thick as each rocket blasted another Wrathfang or set of Wrathfangs into oblivion. More fiends were clawing their way forward, ripping into the Juggernaut's armor plating as best as their claws would permit. The forward arms whipped outwards again, producing scything beams of energy that tore more of the attackers to shreds. Then something unexpected happened; two lone Wrathfangs on the fringe of the battle took to the air, arcing over the machina and then diving directly in between the weapon pods along its rear chassis. Sparks flew as the two fiends lunged into the relatively unarmored section therein, twisting an access panel open and thrusting their claws inwards. Gippal stared as smoke began to billow out of the rear of the machina and its arms flailed madly. Its tank treads spun in the mud, churning up waves of brown muck and embedding the Juggernaut firmly in position. The fiends shrieked with joy as they descended upon the now immobile machina, wrenching its arms off and jerking the weapon pods backwards into positions they were never meant to be in.  
  
"Wha.... What the hell is going on?" Gippal stammered. "This can't be right.... They told me the armor was uniform over the entire assembly!" He grabbed the Fiendgrinder in a knuckle-whitening grip and switched the circular saw on, gritting his teeth. "DREC CILGC!!!" he bellowed as the fiends pulled the forward section off of the machina and resumed their advance on the troops' positions. The cheers had died quickly as men began scrambling back into their entrenched line; several Chocobo riders nearly got bucked off as their mounts became skittish and panicky. Wrathfangs began advancing once again, leering at the slowly diminishing Council forces.  
  
[Translation: This sucks!!!]  
  
"This doesn't look good," muttered Nooj. "If we can't hold out until Yuna and the others get back......."  
  
LeBlanc staggered over to his side, limping slightly. "Noojie, don't say that! Of course we're going to be alright! I've hardly begun to show my full power!" She flourished her war fan boldly, but Nooj could see there was a vexed expression in her eyes.  
  
Baralai fired the last few rounds in his gun, then tossed it aside and swung his staff into a battle stance. "Might as well give it our all from here on," he muttered. "Pray for the best, but expect the worst, guys."  
  
"Kinda morbid, aren't ya Praetor?" asked Ormi as he wiped fiendish goo off his hands and set himself in a boxer's stance.  
  
"Just realistic," Baralai replied in a low voice. _I'm sorry, Paine...... I wish I could have told you before we parted..._  
  
A low rumble echoed overhead to the North. Several soldiers looked around to try and find its source, but for the most part they were too focused on holding the line against the fiends. Swords clashed and screams both human and fiendish continued to wrack the landscape. The rumble became a low roar... A rushing roar like the wind during a hurricane. Gippal glanced up. That sounds awfully familiar, he thought to himself. Nooj glanced up as well, as did several of the fiends who were charging towards their position. The roar grew louder and the clouds began to waver as a mammoth shadow loomed in the distance.  
  
Without warning, a series of reports akin to cannon fire rumbled from within the clouds. Seconds later, dozens of rockets hurtled out of the shadows above, slamming into the massed armada of fiends with the force of a thousand hailstorms. Terrific explosions rocked the landscape as scores of Wrathfangs were engulfed and consumed by the air-to-ground assault. This time almost all the troops shot their eyes skyward, as did many of the fiends whose burning eyes had now become creased with worry. At that moment, a voice bellowed out of the clouds.  
  
"YEEHAW!!!! Sorry I'm late, boys! Had to make some last minute pickups!!"  
  
The troops broke out in another chorus of euphoric shouts as the unmistakable form of the Highwind broke through the clouds, its gun ports open and trained on the fiend-infested plains below. The great airship slowed its descent, leveling out until it hovered directly above the Northern sector of battle. From that angle it wasn't perfectly clear, but it appeared something was moving along the upper deck- or several dozen somethings. Along the underside of the ship, an access hatch slid open, allowing an inner hydraulic platform to descend- exposing two massive eight- barreled miniguns set in armored rotary mounts. The barrels began to spin rapidly as their gunners pulled the triggers, unleashing a stream of lead that ripped across the fiends below like two great steak knives. Fiends had already begun to scatter like flies when the two massive anchor cables fired, impaling the ground just North of the Council forces- and impaling three fiends as well. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought some friends with me!" Cid's voice boomed out of the ship speakers. The several dozen somethings atop the ship began to move in unison, diving from the deck onto the anchor cables and descending to the ground. Nooj, Baralai and Gippal could now see the somethings as being humanoid.......And then they all stared. Those weren't quite humanoid, but they weren't all alike either. Some were human-sized, but with gangly and elongated arms and hands, while others were quite larger and covered with distinct blue fur. Yet they shared one thing in common- the second they hit the ground, they rushed forward in unison, tearing into the fiends before them with ferocity and coordination that made it look like they were reading each others' minds. It was a sight to behold as Guado and Ronso barreled their way through the fiends, tearing open a path to the Council troops.  
  
"Where in the Farplane did you guys spring from?" Gippal shouted as several Ronso, including Kimahri and Garik, dashed up to them. "I thought you couldn't risk the safety of your people!"  
  
Kimahri nodded. "Ronso alone against Malar's fiends are weak. Guado as well. But together, Kimahri sees that Ronso and Guado are strong. Stronger still with Council allies."  
  
Garik grunted in agreement. "Quarrels with Guado pale before safety of Spira. Spira is home to Ronso as well- so today, Elder says Ronso and Guado will fight together!!"  
  
Nooj beamed. "You sure know how to arrive at the right time."  
  
"Kimahri knows now that Ronso cannot hide when all Spira is in danger. Ronso must fight, but not alone!!" He raised his Spirit Lance high in the air and roared as more Ronso and Guado soldiers descended from the Highwind. "FOR SPIRA!!!" he bellowed, answered in kind by the battle cries of his people, the Guado, and most of the Council troops. More gunfire erupted from the Highwind; fiends everywhere began repositioning as the revitalized soldiers were joined by the reinforcements. Ground artillery began firing again, and dropped swords were reclaimed and brandished boldly......

* * *

Sparks flew through the air as swords clashed and bullets ricocheted off steel and stone. Tidus swung Caladbolg in a wide arc, crashing down on Malar's sword with deafening force several times, but Malar seemed to ignore the force of the blows and retaliated with a two-handed swing that sent terrific vibrations along the blade and into Tidus' arms, knocking him backwards with a stunned look on his face. Yuna's guns blazed furiously, slamming into Malar's left shoulder and arm; he glared at her and shot his left hand upwards. A cone of violet energy burst forth from his open palm, deflecting the bullets into the ground and towards the others. The cone continued to barrel forward, but at the last second Yuna flung her right hand forward, producing a convex shield of ice that caught the full force of the energy burst. Malar dropped his hand as bullets popped out of his rapidly-healing flesh, then caught sight of Paine charging in from the side. Their swords collided, then sprung apart again as Paine readied another attack. Time and again she swung, each time met by an identical strike from Malar, until the two of them stepped in to one another and locked swords, their ruby eyes glaring at one another. "This really is such a disappointment," Malar growled. "To think my own bloodline would forget and forsake their elder. Such a waste." He pushed forwards, jamming the crossguard of his sword against hers and shoving upwards. Paine tried to press back, keeping the tension on when suddenly the pressure on his side was released. He pulled away rapidly; Paine, unable to adjust in time, continued to lunge forward and started to lose her balance- then her eyes went wide as Malar drove his knee into her stomach. "You need to be taught a severe lesson, children!!"  
  
"Sorry, jerkwad, but you just don't get it, do you!" came a shout to his right. He twisted around just in time to see Tidus step in from the right, barely a few feet from him and raising his sword high. Malar began to raise his sword to block, but instead of swinging overhead, Tidus spun around in mid-stride and delivered a massive backhand slice across Malar's back and right side. He growled in pain, then caught sight of Rikku sprinting towards him from the left, her Gun Mage sidearm glowing brilliant scarlet. She pulled the trigger and a ferocious jet of crystal-induced flame engulfed his left arm and part of his face. Paine scrambled to her feet, whipping her sword around and charging up the Air Crystal; tendrils of electricity had begun to wrap around the blade when all at once Malar let loose a terrible scream as clouds of viscous violet energy began to boil around him. His eyes shot open and he glared at the four warriors around him. His hands shot open in a bizarre gesture, and the cloud burst outwards like an explosion, tearing across the landscape and burning the skin and eyes of YTRP. Tidus and Rikku dug their heels in and managed to stay standing, but Yuna was knocked to her knees and Paine was hurled against a nearby boulder from the force of the blast. A violet glow ebbed from his eyes as the burns faded and the cuts on his body sealed shut.  
  
"I can see that things are going to have to get a bit more serious," he growled. Grasping his sword in both hands, he uttered a quick eldritch phrase before pulling violently in both directions. A scar of white light shot along the sword from point to pommel, and with a shudder and a crack, the blade broke into two separate pieces, one in each hand. Violet light swirled and each half suddenly became whole, leaving Malar standing with two swords in his hands. Yuna glared at him, jumped to her feet and began to unleash another fusillade of bullets; this time Malar did not produce a cone of energy, but swung both blades back and forth with blinding speed, deflecting the bullets in all directions. "You'd better be careful, High Summoner!" he called in a mocking voice, still swinging. "Wouldn't want your dear friends to get hurt!" Two cries of pain echoed across the plains just then; Yuna's eyes went wide and she stopped firing. She gasped as she realized Rikku and Tidus had both caught some of those errant bullets, in the leg and shoulder respectively. Instinctively she began channeling her White Lore, casting a powerful Curaga spell over everybody. A second later, Malar was springing at her faster than the eye could follow, swinging his right-hand sword in a backhanded arc. The blade was inches away from her throat when she spun and lunged low; the blade continued through the air, screeching along her back and tearing through the upper third of her kite-tail braid. Yuna hit the ground and rolled to her right as his swords drove into the ground right next to her; she spun onto her back and thrust her right hand forward again, channeling her crystal and firing a cone of razor-sharp ice shards directly into his face.  
  
Malar staggered back two steps, wincing and wiping the blood out of his eyes. "You ignorant girl," he growled as Yuna sprang to her feet. "You fail to see the true nature of Chaos, just as everyone else has failed!!" He jerked both swords out of the ground, channeling a dark purple-black aura around the blade in his right hand. Yuna stared for a fleeting second. _The aura's coming from a point within his right forearm,_ she thought aloud. _He DOES have the Jewel of Entropy in his bracer!!_ He took a step forward again, brandishing his blades forward and to the side, when a furious shriek echoed across the mist-covered plains. Malar glanced to his left, and the next second found himself desperately parrying and dodging as Rikku charged him, clad once again in her Thief garb and spinning her twin daggers. "You're not the only one who can use two blades, meanie!!" she taunted, crimson light shooting from her eyes as flames leaped from the points of her daggers. The two of them jumped and spun, sword clashing on dagger with blinding speed. Malar began to pick up the pace, swinging both swords in wide circles, but Rikku bobbed and weaved as they passed just inches over her head. With a quick spin, she began pressing the attack further, and now he was the one who had to give ground. Sparks were shooting out of their weapons so fast it looked like a fireworks festival, and soon the sparks were joined by flecks of blood as Rikku jabbed both daggers into Malar's arms. The initial shock of the stab wounds caused him to slow his swords for a brief second, and in that second Rikku ducked in and lunged upwards, driving her right-hand dagger into his stomach and sending a gout of flame shooting along the blade and into the wound.  
  
Malar gasped in agony, throwing his arms up in the air and giving Paine the opportunity she needed. Drawing her sword back and calling on her reserves of positive energy, she charged forward and slammed her blade down across his shoulder blades, executing a perfect Excalibur strike that left a horrific gash along his spine. Rikku yanked her dagger out of his gut, then spun in a circle and roundhouse-kicked his left-hand sword out of his grasp and across the ground. Suddenly a violet glow emerged from within his chest and another torrent of negative energy ripped across the ground, knocking everybody about once again. His wounds began to seal over once more; clearly their attacks were not inflicting any lasting damage. _Dammit,_ Yuna screamed to herself, _we've got to get at that jewel of his!!  
_  
_Hold on, Yuna._ Tidus' voice suddenly echoed in her mind. _Give me a moment to catch him off guard, and I'll get that jewel.  
_  
Yuna blinked. _You can hear me?_  
  
_Of course, through the crystals. You said the jewel is in his right forearm bracer, right?_ Yuna glanced across to where he was struggling to his feet, and nodded. He nodded and smiled in return. Malar sneered and shifted his remaining sword to his left hand, opening his right hand as a violet orb emerged from his palm. The orb throbbed with pulses of energy as a beam of total blackness burst forth, tearing across the landscape as those about ducked and jumped to evade its destructive force. The beam caught Paine across the midsection and left her sprawled on the ground; Rikku backflipped over the beam but still got grazed along the shoulder; Yuna was caught in the leg as she dove to the left, firing both guns at Malar's right arm and chest. Malar grinned as he swung around in Tidus' direction, then stared as Tidus charged directly at him, the crystal on his hand glowing a brilliant emerald. Green light enveloped him, lessening the intensity of the black beam as it tore directly into his chest. Tidus gritted his teeth and ducked alongside the beam, then dove forward, executing a quick series of handsprings and backflips which culminated in a high leap directly in front of Malar. Malar barely had a second to blink and cease his attack before Caladbolg came smashing down across his forearm, cutting through muscle and bone and severing the limb at the elbow.  
  
Malar stared, wild-eyed, at the bloody stump of his right arm before collapsing backwards onto the cold ground. Tidus dropped to one knee, breathing hard as Yuna scrambled over to him. "Do you think that did it?" she asked as she popped the cap on a Mega-Potion, reviving them all to some extent.  
  
"I'm not sure," Tidus replied as he got to his feet. "Though I gotta admit, that has to have been one of my stupider moves," he added with a slight chuckle and a wince.  
  
"You still don't understand, do you??" Malar's voice suddenly boomed across the plains. Everyone stared as a deep violet glow emerged from his chest and a cloud of blood erupted from the stump of his arm. The blood coalesced, shaping itself into the form of a hand as skin wrapped itself upwards from the elbow. Within seconds his arm had been replaced as the original remained bleeding on the ground. "I CAN'T DIE!!!!" he bellowed, grabbing his sword and swinging it upwards as violet lights danced around him. The sword crashed down upon the ground, sending another shockwave rippling outwards and catching Yuna, Rikku and Paine full-force. Each collapsed on the ground, dazed and disoriented by the force of the quake. Turning back to Tidus, Malar growled, "You're going to pay for that, boy." He dashed forward, swinging his blade with ungodly speed, speed that Tidus was barely able to follow. Sword crashed against sword for a few frantic moments before Malar stepped in, driving the edge downwards across Tidus' chest. Tidus gasped as he felt the blade cutting just over his ribs; a second later, Malar spun and slashed horizontally, aiming right for his heart. At the last second, Tidus dug his sneakers into the earth and pushed backwards; the tip of the sword carved a shallow gash along his upper chest, severing the chain that held his silver Abes team pendant. He landed on his back hard, his grip on Caladbolg loosening. A quick step and Malar had kicked the blade out of Tidus' hand, lowered his own sword and positioned the tip directly over Tidus' throat.  
  
"Great Bahamut...." Yuna gasped, struggling to get to her feet. "Stop it, you bastard! LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!" she screamed, tears starting to form in her eyes as she aimed one of her guns at his head.  
  
"BE QUIET!!" Malar shouted, lifting his left hand and generating a cone of concussive force that knocked Yuna backwards off her feet before she could pull the trigger. "I have had quite enough of interruptions, girl. I will deal with you just as soon as your little 'boyfriend' here is dealt with."  
  
Tidus glared upwards, coughing a bit and clenching his right hand. "There's something I think you need to know before you do anything else, Malar......something you seem to have forgotten....."  
  
"Oh? And what, pray tell, would that be, worm?" Malar sneered. He didn't seem to notice the faint glow emerging from the back of Tidus' hand.  
  
"Never......" he began, slamming his right hand to the ground. Tendrils of green light shot from his fingers and into the ground around him.  
  
"Underestimate....." The ground began to shift and undulate as tentacles of earth erupted behind Malar. One tentacle located the sword Malar had dropped earlier and snatched it up.  
  
"The GULLWINGS!!!!" The tentacles suddenly fused into one large mass, with the sword at the very tip. Like a massive serpent, the writhing mass shot forward as Malar's eyes grew wide. For a brief moment, events seemed to crawl at a snail's pace; Malar began to turn around towards the roiling earth. His mouth opened as if to cry out in surprise. Then with a sickening squelch, the sword plunged into his back and erupted from his stomach, continuing through as the snakelike column of earth surged forward, impaling him as if he were the main course at a barbecue. His arms and face twitched horrifically, then went limp, his remaining sword falling out of his grasp. Tidus staggered to his feet, activating his Grid and assuming Alchemist mode as he limped his way over to the others.  
  
"We haven't got much time," he gasped, retrieving handfuls of medicinals from his trenchcoat pockets and passing them to the others as fast as he could. "He got hit pretty hard with that, but I'll bet it won't last very long." He glanced back; already Malar's arms were beginning to move again, and violet light was pulsing around the rock tentacle that had impaled him.  
  
"This can't be possible...." Yuna stammered, gulping down healing potion and rising to her feet. "I saw the glow in his arm, that jewel should have been severed from him!"  
  
"Maybe it was a decoy," Tidus replied as he crammed more ingredients into a mixing vial. "Or maybe..... Maybe it isn't a part of his bracer at all. It could be a part of his own body."  
  
"There is a way to find out," Paine interjected, punching a sphere on her Grid and assuming Gun Mage form. Raising her gun towards the re- awakening Malar, she punched a button and began scanning him. Seconds later, she nodded. "There's something definitely amiss with him. There's a free-floating energy source that looks like it's on the move inside his body. Scanner reads it as Type Unknown, but whatever it is packs a wallop."  
  
"Meaning it could be anywhere inside him," Rikku whined. "We're not gonna have any idea where to hit!"  
  
"That's not necessarily true, Rikku," said Yuna. "Now that I think of it....." Their conversation came to an abrupt end as Malar bellowed in pure unbridled rage, grabbing the rock that jutted from his flesh and sending a shockwave through it that tore it to powder. He dropped to the ground, striding forward as a glow emerged from his sternum and the hole in his gut began to seal over. Blue-white lightning crackled from his clenched fists, rapidly growing in size and intensity before exploding forth, surging directly towards the four of them. Paine scrambled forward, reverting to Warrior mode and raising her right forearm in front of her face; the crystal on her hand shone bright gold just as the bolt slammed home, connecting with the crystal and suddenly being drawn into it. Gold light began to shoot along Paine's body as the lightning faded, wreathing her in a scintillating aura. Malar stared as she raised her hand and pointed directly at him. A low hum began to emerge from her hand, which quickly became a screech as a beam of white light streamed forth from the crystal, smashing Malar across the face and driving him backwards across the ground.  
  
"We've got to keep hitting him hard and fast! Don't give him a chance to regenerate!" Paine shouted, drawing her sword and leaping back into the fray.  
  
"You're right," Yuna said as Tidus deactivated his Alchemist sphere, resuming his favored clothing. "I think if we keep at it, we might be able to keep that gem of his in one place as long as we keep hitting home!"  
  
Tidus nodded, drawing his sword. "That glow that was coming from his chest? You think that might be it?"  
  
"Yeah, that's happened several times already, so that could be it! Let's get him good!!" Rikku whooped, sprinting forward unimaginably fast. Malar sprang to his feet once more, his whole body glowing with erratic energy. A shriek tore through the air as the energy field around him burst into a whirling cloud of black shards, spinning in massive arcs and gouging furrows into the ground around him. Glaring at his opponents, he began to stalk forward with his sword held low; the cloud of shrapnel moved as he moved, tearing the ground even further.  
  
Aqualine light exploded around YTRP as Yuna and Tidus linked powers for another Supreme Guard; the next moment, the four of them were sprinting forward directly into the path of the black blades that were flying faster every second. Tidus slammed his sword into the ground, creating an emerald wave of force that launched waves of earth upwards in a V-formation; the waves caught the black shards right in their path, forcing a hole in the cloud. Malar grimaced, swinging his own sword forward and firing bolts of violet energy through the hole just as Paine dashed forward and jammed her blade into their path, smashing them into nothingness. A second later, Paine ducked and rolled forward as Yuna and Rikku unleashed twin beams of fire and ice from their crystals; the beams caught Malar in the chest and shoulder, eliciting an angry gasp of pain and throwing him off balance for a brief second. "That does it," he sneered. "Prepare to meet the gods."  
  
The next few moments were nothing short of chaos defined. Malar exploded in a flurry of motion, his sword carving through the air, his free arm and feet swinging in a ballet of defensive blocks and kicks. His left bracer caught Paine's sword, forcing it to the side as he drove his left foot into her stomach, knocking her backwards at the same second his sword met Tidus'. Sparks flew as Malar and Tidus traded blow upon blow, neither one willing to give up an inch. Malar caught sight of Rikku dashing at him from the side, spun around and deflected both her daggers while simultaneously delivering a high roundhouse kick to the side of Tidus' head. Yuna screamed in fury as she blazed into Malar with both barrels, the crystal on her hand shining a blinding shade of blue as her bullets transformed into ice daggers in mid-flight. The shards caught Malar right in the chest, knocking him backwards and stunning him long enough for Paine to blaze into him, her sword an electrically charged blur. He quickly bobbed and weaved, his own sword barely visible as he dug back into her, when all of a sudden Paine stepped in and delivered a devastating overhand swing. Lightning shot in all directions as her sword collided with his, followed by a loud metallic snap as the force of her strike shattered his blade like glass.  
  
"Little news flash for you- you're FIRED!!" Rikku shouted with glee as she sprung onto Malar's back, jamming both daggers into his shoulders and channeling the Fire crystal once more. The scream of agony was bloodcurdling as flame shot through his upper torso, burning his shoulders and chest from the inside out. Yuna dashed forward, her right hand thrust out to her side as blue light began to shine from her crystal once again. Ice crystals coalesced rapidly around her hand, fusing and shaping into the form of a clawed bracer. "Here's a little taste of the pain you put me through in that prison of yours!" she shouted as she slammed her right hand into his gut, twisted and ripped the ice claws out his side.  
  
"GGRRRAAAHH!!" Malar tensed up and flung his arms out to both sides, generating a searing blast of energy that shoved Rikku off his back and knocked Yuna backwards. He gasped as his body became enveloped in amethyst light, burned flesh dropping away as it was replaced with new skin. Yuna struggled upwards and caught a glimpse of a pulsating violet orb, no bigger than his palm, set within the center of his chest seconds before new skin covered it over. _So that's where it is!!_ she thought, staggering to her feet and focusing power through her White Lore. Her healing spell took effect seconds before Malar barreled forward, his fingers mutating into obsidian claws as he attempted to tear Yuna to ribbons. There was a loud clang as Tidus threw himself in front of Malar's assault, using his armored glove and sword to catch both claws and shove Malar backwards onto the ground. Malar sprang to his feet almost instantly and dove forward again, but Tidus ducked under his swing and smashed Caladbolg across his upper chest, spun around in a circle and drove his left elbow into Malar's cheekbone with a sickening crunch. "Rikku, Paine, light this son of a bitch up!!!" he hollered, backflipping away as Malar staggered upward and swung outward, ripping a wicked gash across Tidus' left shin.  
  
"You got it!" the two cried out almost in unison, brandishing their crystals forward as arcane light sparked from their surfaces. "MEGIDDO FLARE!!!!!"  
  
A torrent of scorching energy burst forth from the ground, engulfing Malar and searing far up into the ever-shifting skies. Malar roared in incredible pain as, for the second time, skin and flesh were pummeled by the arcane power of the Elemental Crystals. He thrashed his arms across his chest as a cloud of acidic miasma boiled outward from his fingers, bursting out of the flare and ripping through YTRP with a vengeance. The barrage continued for what seemed like a minute as the four warriors collapsed to their knees; the miasma grasped them like a serpent and attempted to squeeze the very life out of them. Rikku frantically punched her Grid and assumed Alchemist form, digging into her ingredients pouch and quickly mixing a series of powerful medicinals which she proceeded to douse the others with. Yuna scrambled to her feet, glancing in Malar's direction. Once more the violet glow was emerging from his chest, once more his flesh was beginning to heal. "NOW!!" she hollered, training her guns on his sternum and firing a single round from each. The bullets screeched through the air and collided with the orb spot-on.  
  
Malar screamed in inhuman agony as the bullets struck home. He staggered back, gripping his chest with his right hand just as Tidus dashed forward, slamming his sword into the ground once again. The Earth Crystal shone brilliant green as a roiling pillar of rock shot up directly behind Malar. Emerald tentacles burst out of the serpentine mass, snaring and constricting his arms and pulling him upwards to the point where he could not move. "This cannot be.... This just isn't possible!!!" he growled. "You misguided fools shouldn't be able to do this!!!" The tendrils on his arms tightened and plunged into his skin, provoking more growls of pain and prostrating his body spread-eagled against the stone pillar.  
  
"I think it's time we taught him one last lesson," Paine muttered in a menacing tone. She strode forward rapidly, her eyes glowing white-gold as she pulled her right hand back. "This is for turning me into a puppet and making me hurt my friends!!" she bellowed, slamming her fist into his left cheek.  
  
"THIS is for tearing me away from my friends and the man I love!!" Yuna darted in, delivering a massive punch of her own to Malar's right cheek.  
  
"THIS is for all of the people you killed on Bikanel Island!!" Rikku sprinted forward and shot her right foot forward, slamming into his abdomen and knocking the wind out of him.  
  
"And this is for all of the above, and more!!" Tidus said in a low voice as he strode rapidly up to the pillar, pulling his right hand back. A violet aura was already beginning to envelop Malar's body as his wounds attempted to seal. He jerked his arms forward but they were bound fast against the rock, the tendrils unwilling to let go. Malar gritted his teeth and purple light began to shoot from his eyes, when all at once Tidus ducked in and jammed his right hand directly into Malar's sternum. The Earth Crystal pulsed and throbbed, its eldritch energies burning Malar's flesh on contact. A horrific shriek echoed across the plains as white light burst out of the rapidly expanding hole in his chest. With a quick wrench, Tidus yanked his arm back, tearing the orb out of Malar's body and kicking away from him. The stone pillar crumbled backwards, carrying Malar along with it to the ground.  
  
The violet orb suddenly began to glow and pulse with a motley assortment of violet and indigo lights, burning Tidus' arm and forcing him to drop it on the ground. He staggered back, gritting his teeth against the burns on his hand as Yuna and the others dashed over to him. "What's going on? What the hell is that orb doing?" Paine scowled as Yuna applied some healing salve to Tidus' arm. The ground around the orb started to swirl and pulsate like a living thing, changing composition rapidly and producing low groans and high-pitched whines at the same time.  
  
"That jewel must be going out of control," Yuna said in a low tone. The ground was starting to glow a deep red as rock began to melt and boil around the gem. Tendrils of magma started to whip across the earth, and wind currents began to pick up directly above it. "We've got to do something about it, and fast!!" Just then Naia's voice echoed through the air.  
  
_Use our powers as one. Channel our energy in unison. Bring order to that which is chaos. Our final unified power- Ultima_.  
  
The gem continued to throb with power, ejecting light and heat at a furious pace and causing large cracks to shoot across the surface of the ground. _You must not delay,_ Strahl's voice boomed over the cacophony about them. _Channel our energy and destroy that abomination now!!!_ All four suddenly blinked in wonderment as their crystals pulsed in unison, new information flowing into their minds.  
  
Rikku was the first to spring into action. "That's our cue, guys; let's take that sucker out!" she shouted, holstering her alchemical rifle and thrusting both hands forward. The Fire Crystal shone a brilliant shade of crimson as swirls of energy began to form between her fingers. Tidus followed suit, jamming his sword into the ground and channeling the Earth Crystal in the same fashion. Yuna didn't bother to holster her guns, dropping them instead as she summoned the Water Crystal's power into her hands. Paine was the last to act, gritting her teeth as sparks flew from the Air Crystal and grew more and more massive between her palms. The whine of the gathering energy became almost deafening as the Jewel of Entropy continued to thrash and spiral out of control.  
  
"This is it," Tidus shouted over the noise. "It's all or nothing; we can't hold back!!"  
  
Yuna nodded. "Time to finish this once and for all!!"  
  
"Ready?" Rikku hollered.  
  
"More than ready!!" Paine answered. The skies seemed ready to crack open as their crystals scintillated in perfect harmony, energy growing faster by the second. The Jewel was at this point a maelstrom of chaotic whorls, black tendrils snapping at the air and the earth. At that moment, the four warriors opened their eyes and shouted in unison, "ULTIMA!!!!" The four chromatic orbs of energy burst into beams of light, converging on the Jewel and compressing around it with devastating force. White light began to build within the maelstrom, growing larger and larger, pulsing with eldritch power and blinding all within sight of it.  
  
A cracking sound shot through the air, causing all four warriors to visibly wince. The white globe of energy suddenly stopped pulsing for a brief second..........  
  
The barrier over the Southern plains shattered as an explosion of white light engulfed the landscape.  
  
To Be Concluded........  
  
[A/N: This was a bear of a chapter to write, but I hope it lives up to everyone's hopes. Yet questions still linger- what has happened? Is Malar now well and truly dead? What about YTRP? All will be answered in the upcoming final chapter. Please read and review, I live for reviews. P.S. When writing the fight sequence between the heroes and Malar, I listened to "Step Up" by Drowning Pool off the Punisher soundtrack a lot. I don't own that either but it makes for good mood music- and while the fight sequence is longer than the actual song, any other good fast-paced metal tune will do, but that one was the one I liked best. Keep reading! -Neon Ronin] 


	17. Storm's End

[A/N: I own nothing. Square Enix owns it all. And now.......]  
  
Chapter 17: Storm's End  
  
All was silent.  
  
Yuna stirred. _What happened?_ Images flashed through her mind. The hellish light of the Jewel of Entropy as it flared and spread noxious vapors across the ground..... The wrenching of her spirit as she poured every last remaining drop of magical energy into the Crystal, channeling the power that would summon Ultima.... The barely visible outlines of the Crystals' personae manifesting........ The crack as the Jewel was overcome by the spell's crushing force, and then......  
  
_Did it work?_ she asked herself. _Or are we...... are we dead?  
_  
Her eyes remained closed as she took a deep breath, the crisp autumn air filling her lungs. _No..... No, not dead. We can't be_. She could feel ground beneath her, along her arms and her back, down her legs...... It dawned on her that the explosion must have hurled her to the ground as stinging sensations shot throughout her skin. It didn't feel like she was bleeding- at least, no more than she had been before from the wounds Malar inflicted- but she could tell there were some serious bruises developing.  
  
_Malar!_ she suddenly thought. _Where is he? Is he even still here? He can't have survived what just happened......_ Just then she heard a low scraping sound to her left, a sound much like someone crawling or limping across the ground. It was coming her way, getting steadily closer. _Please don't let it be him, don't tell me he's still alive; great Bahamut, I can't even move to defend myself.......  
_  
"Yuna?" A gloved hand delicately brushed several loose strands of hair away from her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered and a smile slowly emerged on her face as she turned her head. Tidus was kneeling next to her, looking just as battered and bruised, if not more so. His jacket was ripped in several places, most notably where Malar's sword had cut him, and part of his armored gauntlet was broken and hanging on by a single rivet. "Can you move?" he asked gently.  
  
Yuna's smile spread to her eyes as she slipped her hand into his. "A little help?" she asked with a slight giggle.  
  
"Of course," he replied with a smile. Sliding his right arm around her shoulders, he propped her up slowly at first so as not to hurt her. She pulled her feet closer to her chest, digging her heels into the ground and struggling upwards, using his shoulder for leverage. Just to her right she could make out Rikku rolling up into a sitting position, moaning and groaning as she did so. Paine had rolled onto her side and took a moment to catch her breath before pushing up onto her knees. Just then Yuna looked upward and noticed the sky for the first time. The multicolored barrier was gone, dispersed into thin air. Thick gray clouds drifted overhead and a low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. The rain appeared to have stopped, and the only other sound was the soft trickle of water from the river that ran through the plains, not far from where they stood. Stray flecks of rainbow light wafted through the air.  
  
"That was a whole bunch of no fun," Rikku sighed, holding her head. "I thought we were gonna get wiped out when that gem went kerblooie."  
  
"I barely had time to cover my eyes before that explosion," said Tidus. "I've still got spots dancing in front of me."  
  
Paine staggered to her feet. "What I want to know is whether or not Malar lived through that blast," she muttered. The sound of heavy, labored breathing suddenly caught their ears. Everyone turned in the direction of the noise, grasping at their weapons instinctively.  
  
Malar lay on his back, splayed out over the bumps and ridges of the ground like a crumpled sheet. His arms lay limp, with only the occasional twitch from his fingers. Blood trickled from the gaping wound in his chest, which rose and fell as he struggled to breathe. His black hair was strewn about, giving the impression of a mop soaked in ink. But the thing that drew attention first and foremost was his face- formerly twisted with rage, set in a demonic scowl that alternated between furious and gleefully sadistic. Now it was completely relaxed, gazing upwards at the gray clouds dispassionately. The quartet stared for a moment, then slowly advanced closer, lowering their weapons slightly. As they approached, it became apparent that he was more than just mortally wounded. Fine lines had begun to crease his forehead, and his cheeks had sunken, giving him a haggard and pathetic appearance. He coughed and turned his head to face them as they drew alongside him.  
  
"Why........" he wheezed. "Why did this have to happen?" He drew in a long, rasping breath. "I have seen and felt things no man has seen..... I saw Rilian's failures, I felt for sure I could do better....... I was so sure the power of Chaos was the key to it all." Malar coughed again, spitting up blood. "I have felt the thrill of being able to subdue the fiends, of being able to subjugate them and mold them to my liking...... but it was not enough...... As my power grew, so did my hunger for it. I was so sure I could control the power of the Jewel..... How could I have lost to the likes of you......."  
  
"You didn't lose to us," Yuna said. "You lost to yourself, a long time ago." She crouched beside the dying man, loosening the grip she had on both her guns. "Not long ago, you told me you wanted to make all Spira pay for ignoring your power. Let me ask you this- why did you want that power to begin with? To rule with an iron fist, or to protect people? Which was it? Why did you work so hard to reach into a force that your master, Rilian, did not dare to contemplate?"  
  
Malar blinked. "To fight fire with fire......" he gasped. "Humans have fought the fiends since the dawn of Spira....... The souls of the Unsent that lash out resentfully at the living...... We had to find ways to defend our people. But to fight them with souls imprisoned in a form of waking death..... He would have rather sacrificed another than fight the fiends with their own power."  
  
"A power that would turn you into a fiend yourself," Yuna said in a low voice. "You say you were looking for a way to defend your people, yet you have sent scores of your minions to kill the very people you once defended. Could it be the reason Rilian refused to accept the power of Chaos is because he knew it would corrupt the mind?" She paused, looking directly into his eyes. "You became so engrossed with the power within your grasp that you forgot your original purpose, didn't you? It wasn't that you learned to control the Jewel of Entropy; the Jewel began to control you."  
  
His eyes went wide. For a moment, nobody said anything.  
  
"I....." he began. "I have endured for over two thousand years, locked away beneath these plains...... All that time I have been nursing the seed of revenge in my heart..... I cursed Rilian, cursed those who did not respect the power at my disposal......" He drew in a long breath and a stray tear fell from his right eye. "How long have I been consumed by the black mist within..... I have not known kindness, warmth or hope for so long; even before my imprisonment, when the Jewel's power first lent itself to me, there was no one who truly shared in my achievement....... I gave myself over to that power, with the knowledge I would emerge as a force to meet the fiends on their own level."  
  
"Just like those who gave their lives to become a Fayth," Tidus murmured. "They gave themselves to defend Spira, too."  
  
Yuna nodded. "Their sacrifice was great, no one can deny that. But you cannot say you have not sacrificed just as much as they did, if not more so. You may not have given up your life, but you gave up something far dearer- you gave up your heart. By delving into Chaos you let it take control of you until you couldn't even remember your original purpose for doing so. Maybe you didn't forget your reasons, but you ignored them. You weren't fighting against the fiends anymore, you were befriending them. And once you reached that point, you blinded yourself to the living. How many do you think have suffered because of your actions? How many have died to sate your newfound thirst for power?"  
  
There was silence for a few brief moments on the plains. Tears were flowing freely from Malar's eyes by now, his breathing raspy. Gray streaks were working their way through his mane of ebony hair. "I still remember how it was, so long ago........" he whispered. "The day when people began to fear me......I thought they were rebuking me for who I was before, but now I know...... They feared what I had become." He coughed again, spitting up a small amount of blood. "How could I have been such a fool.........." He turned his head and looked at the four warriors standing over him. "I have trod this world for far too long. The pain I have caused..... Far too much for any one person to forgive. I can fight no more...... For the first time in these many years, I am tired.  
  
"Immortality..... It has been a curse more than a gift. Those I once knew are long gone...... Without the danger of death, my mind and spirit have stagnated. I never even knew it until this moment....." He coughed again, his breath harsher. "All those years spent toying with life as a means to pass the time...... I lost sight of how dear it truly is. Please........ I do not ask you to forgive me....... If anything, do not make the mistake I did. Do not lose sight of what spurs you forward...... lest you become blinded to it all too soon.  
  
"Perhaps now..... at last..... I can rest........" His eyes closed and his head fell back against the ground. A white glow enveloped his form, which began to grow indistinct and hazy until it was nearly blinding. With a sound akin to a soft sigh, his body burst into a myriad cloud of pyreflies, swirling for a moment in the air before dissipating and drifting towards the slow current of the river nearby. There was a faint hum as the dancing lights cascaded into the water, illuminating the rocks below the surface before dispersing and joining the current flowing deeper into the underground chasms beyond.  
  
Malar was gone.

* * *

Rikku let out a huge sigh. "Is it finally over now?"  
  
"I don't know," Yuna replied. "For us, maybe. For him.....it may be only the beginning."  
  
"Wonder how the other spirits on the Farplane are going to react when he shows up," Paine muttered. "My guess is it won't be a friendly reception."  
  
Yuna nodded. "Probably not. But hopefully, he may have learned something by now."  
  
"You have done well, masters."  
  
The four of them jumped in surprise as the manifestations of the Elemental Crystals burst forth, coalescing and hovering in the air directly in front of them. Each spirit bore a look of satisfaction and joy- even the Air spirit Strahl, though he reserved himself to the suggestion of a smile in contrast to Vora's fiery ear-to-ear grin.  
  
Naia spoke first, her cloak flowing across her body like a bubbling brook. "You have done more than we ever could have expected. You have accomplished something we could not do long ago, when we first bound the Immortal beneath the Plains of Woe."  
  
"We never learned of his source of power when we first faced him," Ferro added, his grassy hair waving in the wind. "Without that tiny piece of information, there was no way we could completely finish the task at hand."  
  
"And without completing our task, it was left to us to remain as we are, to be on guard if he should ever return. We did not shy from that fate, though we knew it meant we might not return to our native domains for a long time," Strahl murmured, his white robes dancing of their own accord.  
  
"But now that task is complete," Vora piped up, her flaming locks dancing and leaping up to the skies. "You have laid the Immortal to rest. The bonds holding us to the crystals have fallen away, and we are now free." As she said these words, a low light ebbed from each of the crystals. With an almost inaudible snapping sound, the crystals broke away from each of their hands, skipping through the air and hovering before their respective manifestations. Yuna glanced down at her right hand, which no longer bore the fingerless silver glove that held the Water Crystal in place.  
  
"Does this mean.... if your task is complete, then you're leaving?" she asked. "You're just going away?"  
  
Ferro shrugged. "That's not entirely true. We're not leaving so much as returning." He gestured out towards the South. "The Plains of Woe have borne scars untreated for far too long. The rest of Spira too. Our powers as they have been have been hampered, directed towards the purpose of warfare and destruction."  
  
"It is time to put those powers aside," Naia continued. "We cannot remain the way we are anymore, we have no reason left to be weapons. If we do remain, and fall into the hands of those who would seek power for themselves..... Can you imagine what might befall humanity then?"  
  
Rikku winced. "That could be a bit of an icky situation......"  
  
Strahl spoke up. "Destruction will only beget more of the same. Now that we are free to cast off that mantle, we will do what needs to be done. The pain Malar has inflicted cannot be erased completely, but through reconciliation and creation, new life may yet spring forth."  
  
Their forms became indistinct blurs of light, slowly spiraling in towards one another. "We are eternally grateful for your help," came echoing back to them in Vora's voice. "Perhaps one day we will meet again." The spiral dispersed, becoming four separate clouds of energy once more and rising higher and higher into the sky.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Paine shouted upwards. "How do we know for sure it's really over? How can we be sure he's not coming back?" The four stopped their ascension, hanging briefly in midair.  
  
"If it were not finished, we would know," four voices said in unison. Their iridescent glow intensified as the clouds began swirling inwards once again, faster this time. The colors intermingled, producing a motley assortment of hues and gradually shining a brilliant white light. The Gullwings shielded their eyes, staring upwards in wonderment until the cloud of energy burst like a great bottle rocket, scattering flecks of light far and wide across the plains. The skies became a veritable sea of light for a brief moment, as thousands of the twinkling sparks, so similar to pyreflies and yet something entirely unique, cascaded gently down like snow.  
  
"It's beautiful......" Yuna whispered. A tear ran down her right cheek, which she absently wiped away.  
  
"Yuna...... your hair," Tidus said lightly. She blinked and reached behind, her eyes going wide as the realization came that her braid had been chopped to a third of its previous length. She giggled, looking up at him. "Oh well, I guess it was getting a little too long anyways," she said at length with a laugh. "But.... What about your pendant? Where'd it go?"  
  
"It's over here, Yunie!" Rikku interjected, grabbing the Abes pendant off the ground and lobbing it in Tidus' direction. He caught it easily, looking sourly at the broken chain. "Guess I'd better get this fixed," he said, a look of mock anger on his face. It didn't last long as both he and Yuna began to laugh. Laughing out of not just humor, but relief. The long nightmare was finally drawing to a close. Rikku burst out laughing as well, and even Paine's cool exterior let itself down as she gave in to the relieved chuckles pervading them all. They barely noticed the clouds overhead beginning to part, letting through the rays of the setting sun in the distance. Nor did they notice the sound of a Hover getting gradually closer and closer, until it was almost on top of them.  
  
Rikku paused in her laughing long enough to look up and notice the Hover's approach; her attention immediately shot to the person piloting it with reckless abandon. "GIPPAL!!" she hollered, nearly dropping her alchemical rifle as she dashed forward. The machina ground to a halt and the driver jumped out of the cockpit a second before being grappled in Rikku's biggest bear hug to date.  
  
"Whoah, easy there!" Gippal sputtered. "Please.... A little less affection, Rikku? You're kinda mashing my ribs....."  
  
Rikku blushed. "Oopsie," she stammered, releasing her grip. "Guess I got a little carried away, huh?" She grinned sheepishly- then stared. "Good grief, what happened to you out there? You look awful!" Gippal glanced down at himself; his clothes were just as badly battered as they had been after the Bikanel assault, if not more so, and his left arm still bore bloodstains from when he had gotten ripped across the back.  
  
"It wasn't exactly a day at the fair out there," he said with a grim smile. "It got pretty tough for a while, but we managed to hold out long enough." He looked down at Rikku with a smile. "Looks like you've had a nasty go of it yourself."  
  
"Yeah, well...... I got out in one piece, anyway; we all did. I did have your promise to keep, after all."  
  
"Just like the one I had to keep," Gippal replied. "Guess you don't get to kick my butt all over the Farplane now," he added, and the two of them burst out laughing.  
  
"It's good to see you made it," Yuna said as she, Tidus and Paine reached the Hover. "Why'd you come all the way out here to meet us?"  
  
Baralai jumped down from the other side of the Hover, which apparently had another passenger as well. "When we saw the explosion from the South, everybody feared the worst. Some soldiers started to panic, thinking that a new, worse incarnation of Sin was emerging. But then the shockwave and the light started washing over us, and fiends began dropping like rocks. No warning, no suggestion of injury, they just dropped and dissipated. At first we thought it was going to wipe us out, too, but it didn't." He let out a relieved sigh. "Once we got our bearings, we figured we'd better check on you guys right away since the radio connection was still down."  
  
Paine stepped forward. "Well, you didn't really have to do that, you know......" She paused for a moment, then smiled. "But I'm glad you did," she finished, grasping Baralai's hand and pulling him into a hug. Yuna and Tidus looked at each other, smiled and nodded.  
  
"Hey, we knew if we didn't check on you guys that Cid would never let us hear the end of it," Gippal said lightly.  
  
"Oh, what about Pops anyway?" Rikku said, rolling her eyes. "Doesn't he know by now we can take care of ourselves?"  
  
"Sheesh, yer just as stubborn as yer old man!!" boomed a very familiar voice; Rikku's eyes went wide as Cid jumped down from the other side of the Hover and marched around to face them. Yuna cringed; Paine shook her head in exasperation. "It's not a crime to show a little parental concern, is it? Especially when my only girl and my favorite niece are runnin' all over Spira riskin' their necks to try and save us all again!! You got any idea how much I've been up all night once I caught wind o' yer dadblasted adventure?"  
  
"Uncle Cid, please...." Yuna said gently. "It's over now. We got through it just fine- well, one or two setbacks aside- and she is right, we do know how to take care of ourselves." She grinned a bit. "After all, we're the Gullwings!" she added lightly.  
  
"What you are, young lady......." Cid began, then paused, giving Yuna a look that made her gulp and shuffle her feet. Then his shoulders relaxed and he beamed. "What you are is a three-time hero, and I'm proud of ya, Yuna!" He clapped a hand on her shoulder, then laughed and hugged her tightly. Yuna was stunned at first, but began laughing along with him a few seconds later as he lowered her to the ground. "I don't know when I'm gonna learn that once you set yer mind to something, ain't no one alive can make ya change yer mind!" he chuckled, then turned towards Tidus. "And you....."  
  
"Me, Cid?" Tidus asked, slightly surprised.  
  
"You're the main reason I didn't rush right out to these kids when I heard about this hullabaloo," Cid continued. "I figured as long as you were there, I had no reason to poke my nose in. I knew you'd be there if it got rough."  
  
Tidus scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, I did make a promise, sir...... one I intend to keep as long as I live," he added, smiling at Yuna. She smiled back, squeezing his hand.  
  
"That's muh boy!" Cid exclaimed, clapping a hand on Tidus' shoulder so hard he winced. "Best nephew-in-law a man could hope fer! Now whaddya say we get these kids outta here and back to Bevelle? Once the Meyvn and the others finish clean-up detail and get the troops home, I'll wager anyone a hunnerd thousand gil there's gonna be one helluva shindig in yer honor!"  
  
"Now that sounds more like it!" Rikku said as she climbed onto the Hover, with a bit of help from Gippal. "After all this mess, I could really use a party!"  
  
"You could go for a party any time, Rikku," Paine muttered, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"There will be some formalities and some serious business to attend to first," Baralai said, "but he is right; today is a day that may well go down in the history books, to say nothing of Sphere libraries." At Paine's raised eyebrow, he continued. "We have to try and pick up the pieces from what Trema did, after all. We may never fully know what he destroyed, but we can amass as much information about here and now as we can- for the next generation."  
  
Paine nodded. "I guess we can probably expect a parade of interviewers, then," she said, shooting a look at her three cohorts, who nodded in mock-exasperation. "Well...... I for one am ready to head back." She started towards the Hover, then turned to Baralai. "Maybe...... do you think maybe we could have that talk about old times now? Over tea?"  
  
Baralai smiled. "That sounds nice," he said, walking to the Hover alongside her. Rikku scrambled into a seat next to Gippal while Tidus and Yuna hauled themselves onto the other side of the Hover. Gippal revved the engine, kicking the fan into high speed and blowing dust all over the place as he spun the machina around, heading due North. "Full speed to Bevelle!" he hollered as the Hover lurched forward, sluggish at first under the heavier load it now carried.  
  
Yuna tugged at Tidus' sleeve. "Tidus, can I ask you something?" she said over the roar of the engine.  
  
"You know you can ask me anything in the world, angel," he replied. "What's on your mind?"  
  
Yuna let out a long sigh and smiled up at him. "Do you think maybe now we can retire from saving the world again and again? Just for a little while?" The two of them laughed, then grabbed for a railing to hold onto as Gippal accidentally drove over a rock; they wound up with their arms around each other and smiling. "I feel like I could go on vacation for three months right now and just do nothing."  
  
"Yuna, you can do whatever you want to from here on out. You deserve it," Tidus said, also trying to outdo the roar of the engine. "Maybe now we can get around to something we haven't had the chance for- our honeymoon."  
  
Yuna grinned. "That's right, we never really got the chance for that, did we?" she said with a giggle. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."  
  
"And now we've got all the time in the world to do so. Our story isn't over yet, Yuna. Not by a long shot."  
  
"The two of us, together until the end...... No, not until the end," she said, correcting herself. "Always."  
  
"Always and forever, Yuna," Tidus responded as the two of them drew closer, sharing a tender kiss as the reddish light of the setting sun illuminated the clearing skies over the plains.  
  
The End  
  
[A/N: Wait! It's not quite the end yet! Stay tuned for future installments- an Epilogue I'll be writing out and a few director's notes on ideas that never quite made it to principal photography. I hope I've managed to do the characters justice in this wrap-up, and I do appreciate all the support I've been getting in this endeavor. Okay, maybe it was a little mean of me to leave you all at that cliffhanger last chapter, but that's how I envisioned it. Please keep those reviews coming; if this story manages to accumulate more than 100 reviews it may just inspire me to write another story. Might not be a Final Fantasy story, but I've got several ideas for other things. Epilogue coming up soon!! -Neon Ronin] 


	18. Epilogue

[A/N: Thanks go out to everyone who has reviewed and supported this endeavor; there isn't enough space to do each of you justice. I don't own the characters or anything else but have been quite happy to borrow them for a while. And now.......]  
  
Epilogue  
  
That night in Bevelle was one of many emotions. Relief, certainly, that the draconic Wrathfang attacks would now be a thing of the past. There was sorrow for those who had fallen at the fiends' hands, whether in an ambush or on the battlefield hours earlier. There was some modicum of anger, mostly that no one had been able to learn of Malar's existence until it was too late; some blamed Trema for the destruction of the history spheres, a few blamed New Yevon in general. But that night, the predominant emotion was one of joy and gratitude towards two groups, partly towards the Joint Council for stepping up to the front lines, but mostly toward the Gullwings in general and Yuna in particular. The moment they had set foot in Bevelle they had been greeted by applause so thunderous, they almost expected the storms of the Thunder Plains to start up again. Crowds of people who had just learned the full story of the battle had thronged the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of their hero as she and the others made their way into the city; the Council guards had barely been able to hold them back.  
  
For the third time, Yuna had felt self-conscious as she and the others were escorted to the Council palace by Nooj, Gippal and Baralai, with LeBlanc and her goons serving as a rear guard. She had remembered how it felt those two long years ago, when she made her speech in Luca that signaled the beginning of the Eternal Calm- the eyes of the world on her, idolizing her and falling in love with her for what she had done, not for who she was. A wave of claustrophobia had begun to set in as she continued along the Highbridge, listening to the cheers and shouts of joy, but it soon passed as a familiar hand gripped hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Yes, once more she had done the unthinkable, facing a threat few would dare to meet head-on, and she had come out of it alive once again. Only this time, there was one thing that the previous two victories had lacked. Something that set it apart from the end of the Pilgrimage and the pacification of Shuyin.  
  
This time, he was with her. This time, both of them would share the honors.  
  
Cid had been right in his prediction; that night, the Council declared a public holiday and Bevelle was witness to one of the greatest celebrations it had seen since the fall of Sin. One of the great halls of the palace was cleared and arrangements made, and soon the entire hall was abuzz with music and dancing that rivaled even the revelry pervading the streets of the city. Rikku had immediately gotten into the spirit of things and had ducked out for a moment, returning in her Lady Luck evening dress with a coy smile on her face. As expected, Cid's eyes had bugged out and he had tried to get her to change into something less revealing, but he eventually wound up flinging his arms in exasperation and didn't say another word. Tidus was boggled by the sights around him and had started to feel self-conscious about not having any formal attire, but Yuna had calmed him down and told him it wasn't that big a deal; to prove her point, she decided not to bother with formal wear and the two had entered the party clad in their favored outfits- after getting cleaned up, of course. She was right- nobody really cared or commented on them being dressed in Blitzer clothes or a half-skirt and sheer top, they were more focused on asking them about everything that had happened.  
  
Paine hadn't bothered with formal dress either, mainly because she couldn't be bothered. At first she was more than a little surprised at the quality of the preparations, last-second as they were. The surprise wore off quickly when she discovered that Tobli had had a hand in those same preparations, to which she had commented, "No wonder it was set up so quick with that hyperactive penguin behind the scenes." The next surprise she got was the arrival of a group of people who were fawning over her so much it almost made her sick. Apparently they had been following the Gullwings' exploits for some time, focusing on her in particular as "The Lone Dark Gull", which was actually the second thing that irked her. The first thing that irked her about them was the fact that they all dressed in clothes very similar to hers- so similar as to be frightening. Paine had gotten an odd look on her face and was looking desperately for an escape when Baralai had stepped forward, mentioning that Yuna needed her help with something, so she had hurriedly excused herself from the sycophants and left with him. When she asked him what Yuna wanted, he had replied, "Nothing, I just figured you wanted out of there." That caused her to smile and the two of them wandered over to a table, where they sat and talked about old times. Several tables down, Kimahri and several Guado were discussing the possibilities of better trade relations between Guadosalam and Mount Gagazet; Garik stood off to one side feigning indifference as he nursed a rather strong drink.  
  
Across the room, LeBlanc and Nooj were in the process of greeting a long line of officials, detailing some of what had happened and sharing ideas for rebuilding what Malar had ruined. LeBlanc was decked out in a flamboyant royal blue dress decorated with silver brocades, Nooj wore his traditional clothes but had discarded his usual cane for one made of rich polished wood. Ormi and Logos floated amongst the other party-goers, each with their own agenda- Logos scanned the room, acting the part of unofficial bouncer/bodyguard, while Ormi lurked at a buffet table and stuffed his face. Towards the center of the room, Gippal had taken a moment from his official duties to join Rikku in a dance. At first she had shied away playfully before consenting to "one dance and that's all for tonight, mister!" Oddly enough, that one dance had turned into several as the night wore on, culminating in the two of them holding each other close in a slow dance in the middle of the floor. Brother stood off to one side, making a disgusted face as he wolfed down a few pastries from a dessert table. Buddy was engrossed in a long conversation with Rin, trying to find out more about the proposed energy extraction project Rin had been working on. Further down the room, Isaaru and Maroda were doing some catching up and comparing notes; Maroda's forces on the Moonflow hadn't sustained quite the assault that the main forces had, but it had been brutal nonetheless. Isaaru, on the other hand, had been on the front lines on the Plains and had his arm in a sling, but still bore a content smile on his face.  
  
As the evening wore on, people continued to dine, dance and celebrate, each person becoming more engrossed in their own little world. They didn't even notice when the High Summoner and her Guardian slipped out of the great hall and out of the palace, walking hand in hand along the Highbridge.  
  
Yuna breathed a sigh of relief. "If I hear one more person ask me whether I was afraid out there, I think I'll have to scream."  
  
"I know the feeling," Tidus chuckled. "I still can't get used to everyone calling me 'Sir' Tidus, and they've been calling me that all night long. I wonder if Auron ever got sick of it....."  
  
"I don't know," Yuna replied. "It never really came up when we last spoke with him." She sighed and looked up at the clear night sky. A moment of silence passed.  
  
"I wish he were here," she said at length. "He probably wouldn't believe all that we've done." She felt Tidus put his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"He is here. We just can't see or hear him.... But I'm sure he can see us."  
  
Yuna smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." The two of them stopped along the Highbridge railing, standing over one of the long reflecting pools that ran along the bridge's length. "I wonder if anyone's missing us yet......."  
  
"We can go back if you want, Yuna."  
  
"No, it's okay, I'd rather just stay out here for a while longer. I was really starting to smother in there."  
  
Tidus nodded. "They weren't really giving us that many chances to relax, were they?"  
  
Yuna shook her head. "In a way, it wasn't as bad as it could've been. I can only imagine what might have happened if Dona was here." The thought of Dona showing up and making her presence known as someone who would've/could've/should've been there hit them both at once, and they both started laughing a bit. "Yeah, that could've been a little awkward," said Tidus. "Then again, I think I'd rather deal with Dona than Lulu once we get back to Besaid," he added, his face and tone a bit more serious.  
  
"Oh, right....... Boy, she and Wakka didn't look too pleased over the Commsphere earlier," Yuna said. "I know we probably should have told them what was going on, but at the same time....."  
  
"Well, if I know Wakka he's probably not going to be that upset once we get back. But I'm not looking forward to receiving one of Lulu's tongue lashings," Tidus replied.  
  
"Me neither," Yuna replied with a giggle. Her gaze passed over the Highbridge, towards the sparkles of the Macalania Woods in the South......  
  
_Sparkles?_ Yuna blinked and looked again. _Was that one of the trees? But..... How can that be? The forest is almost completely dead!  
_  
"Yuna? What's wrong?"  
  
Yuna took a long look and her eyes grew wider by the second. "I..... It can't be..... Macalania is....." She grabbed Tidus' hand and started to run forward. Tidus stumbled at first, but caught himself and picked up the pace so that they were running side by side. "Yuna, what's going on? Where's the fire?" he asked frantically.  
  
"There's something going on down there, and I've got to check it out!!" she replied, starting to run faster still. Tidus shrugged and sprinted right along. The two of them blazed right past the Bevelle night watch so fast the guardsmen didn't have time to ask them their business, but stared and shrugged as they plunged into the woods beyond.  
  
They ran for what seemed like a couple of minutes, darting through the thickets and trees that had grown dull with the passage of time, before drumming their feet to a halt and stopping to catch their breath. The cold night air whipped through the narrow forest paths, sending chills along Yuna's spine and prompting her to rub her forearms briskly. Tidus did likewise before glancing up and taking in the sights around them; they had been running so fast they hadn't even noticed which direction they had gone into the woods. "Yuna..... Look." At his words, she blinked and raised her head.....and then her eyes went wide.  
  
They were in the lakeside clearing where they had shared their first kiss two years before, a place they had revisited only a few months ago after Tidus' return. It seemed like just yesterday the two of them had opened up their hearts to each other in that very same lake, and both had been saddened on their return to see the lake drying up and the trees fading to dark shades. Now they stared in awe at the sight before them; light flecks of aqualine light were dancing along the bark of the trees, returning the familiar crystalline sparkle to their branches. The stagnant, drying lakebed shimmered in the moonlight; water was beginning to flow once again, the clear, pure water that brought life to the forest. Underfoot, the two could just make out the first signs of fresh grass shoots pushing up amongst the dried blades. The flecks of light danced upwards, wafting across the surface of the filling lake and spiraling around the lovers' bodies before drifting up into the tree branches, and for a moment they could almost hear a soft, lilting laugh. The sparkles wrapped themselves around a protruding tree limb and disappeared as the limb slowly revitalized, the glow spreading to the tree trunk and then slowly into the other limbs. Slowly but surely, Macalania Woods was coming back.  
  
"Reconciliation and creation......" Yuna breathed softly. "That's what they meant.... They're bringing the forest back to life."  
  
Tidus gazed in wonderment around them. "I've never seen anything like it in my life," he said. "Maybe the same thing is happening to the Thunder Plains......."  
  
_The wounds of the plains will be healed. In time, new life will spring forth and all shall be renewed._  
  
Yuna looked up. "Did you hear that?"  
  
Tidus nodded. "They must be hard at work, Naia and the others." Another cool breeze kicked up, causing both of them to shudder and wrap their arms around each other for warmth. "Too bad they can't raise the temperature a little bit," he added lightly, eliciting a giggle from Yuna. The two of them stood in silence for a while, arm in arm, taking in all that was happening around them.  
  
Eventually, though, they both agreed that it was getting too chilly and that it might be a good idea to head back to Bevelle. "After all," Yuna quipped, "we don't want Rikku up all night worrying about us." The two of them laughed as they took one last look at the woods around them, then turned and started up the path back to the city. As they did, they failed to notice the faint outlines of several individuals floating on the surface of the refilling lake. Two were tallish, the third appeared to be a child wearing a tunic with a hood covering his eyes.  
  
"You wish you could be there, don't ya?" one of the tall figures said, a muscular man clad in loose trunks and a bandanna on his head. The other figure, clad in flowing robes, turned and nodded slightly. "Yeah, me too. Never got a chance to tell him how proud I am," he continued. "Some father, huh?"  
  
"You did the best you could, Jecht," Braska replied. "More than I could do for my little girl, anyway." He sighed, looking up towards the lights of Bevelle in the distance. "It would be nice to go back- but it's not my time anymore. It's their time."  
  
Jecht nodded. "They really are something, aren't they?" He folded his arms and smiled. "Bet you're looking forward to being a granddad, eh Braska?" he added with a laugh. Braska smiled and chuckled in response.  
  
"We shouldn't stay much longer," the Fayth piped up. "It's almost time to go."  
  
"I know," Braska said, turning to the young boy. "I didn't think we could come here for very long.... Thank you for giving us this chance to see them." He paused a moment. "And thank you for bringing them back together."  
  
The Fayth nodded. "It was the love they shared for each other that enabled us to make the dream a reality. For all Yuna has done for us and for Spira, she deserves it."  
  
The three spirits smiled and nodded to each other as their forms dissipated into swirling clouds of pyreflies, spiraling into the air and descending into the depths of the lake, making their way once more to the Farplane. A cloud passed overhead and a light snow began to fall as peaceful silence settled over the woods once again.

* * *

**_Ten Years later  
_**  
The springtime sun shone brightly over the vast expanses of the Thunder Plains. It shone on the lakes and rivers that dotted the landscape, it shone on the swaths of tall green grass that covered the hills and valleys of the Plains. The great lightning towers in the Southern Plains still stood, their purpose all but defeated since the calming of the storms that had once been everlasting. Now their sides were thick with ivy and flowering plants, some of them naturally occurring, some that had been cultivated and planted by travelers and settlers of the Plains. The Travel Agency had long since been rebuilt, larger and more elegant than before, with more than enough room for vacationers and people stopping on their way to and from Bevelle. A dock setup had also been constructed alongside the river by the Agency, with landing facilities for Bevelle riverboats or airships. There were no Hovers operating in the Plains, but Chocobos were available in abundance for transportation or just for joyrides.  
  
Just down the hill from the Agency, several children were chasing each other back and forth, passing and kicking a Blitzball between them.  
  
"C'mon, Vidina, stop hogging the ball!" shouted one of the kids, a girl about 8 years old with short brown/blond hair and vivid blue eyes. She wore denim knee-length shorts and a leather vest over a white t-shirt, and might have been mistaken for a boy if it weren't for the ponytail that fell between her shoulders and her white sneakers with pink racing stripes. "You gonna run around with it all day or are we gonna get to play too?"  
  
"Okay, heads up Elsa, here it comes!" the redheaded 10-year old in white trousers and a red vest replied, lobbing the ball into the air and roundhouse-kicking it towards her with surprising force for one so young. "I thought I told you to call me Ellie!!" Elsa hollered. She grabbed the ball and flung it in the direction of another 8-year old, a boy who sported the same color hair and eyes as her and was wearing long shorts, a yellow t- shirt with the Aurochs emblem on the back and black sneakers. The boy grinned and he and Elsa started playing a vicious game of Keep Away with the ball, sending Vidina scrambling to try and keep up.  
  
"Hey, c'mon! This isn't fair, ya? Krys, why you always gotta team up with her?"  
  
"I dunno, maybe because she can read my mind?" Krys responded with a smirk, flinging the ball over Vidina towards his twin sister. Just then an orange-yellow blur shot through the air and grabbed the ball, landed on the ground and volleyed back to Vidina. The blur skidded to a halt, revealing a 7-year old Al Bhed boy with spiked-up blond hair, orange trousers and a sleeveless red shirt. "Hey! No fair, you didn't even say you were playing, Derrik!" Krys whined.  
  
"Didn't say I wasn't, Krys!" Derrik shot back with a goofy grin. Krys and Elsa couldn't help but snicker. _I wonder if Aunt Rikku was like that when she was his age......_  
  
"Is there room for one more?" a soft female voice called out. The four of them turned to see a girl no older than six running down the hill, her silver-white hair waving in the breeze. She wore bleached denims and a pale green shirt that offset her magenta eyes nicely. "Please? I can keep up with the rest of you!"  
  
Vidina scratched his head. "Maya, you're still kinda young for Blitz, ya? You could get banged up if you're not careful."  
  
"Oh, give her a break, Red!" Elsa said in a teasing tone. "Maya's a lot tougher than she looks, d'you know she beats me at arm wrestling almost every time?"  
  
"Give her a chance, huh?" Krys added. "We can tone things down a bit if it gets too rough."  
  
A few moments passed, but finally the consensus was yes and the game started over again. Derrik grabbed the ball and bobbed and weaved like a madman, eventually spinning and tossing it to Maya, who promptly kicked it in Vidina's direction. It smacked him in the knee- she had aimed too low- but he easily caught it with his foot and lobbed it up, head-butting it back to Derrik. Derrik zoomed in to catch it but the ball was intercepted by Krys, who twisted in midair and kicked it over to Elsa. She caught the ball and volleyed to Maya, who elbowed it back in Krys' direction. There was no rhyme or reason to the game they were playing, except that 'have fun' was the primary rule. The sounds of the ball being kicked and their laughter echoed up the hill, towards a wooden picnic table where lunch was being set up.  
  
Yuna stood atop the hill, watching the children play and smiling. She wore her hair much the same way she did when she was a Sphere Hunter, but the braid was now only waist-length. She wore a simple short-sleeved blue dress that came to her ankles, and she still wore her favorite pair of dark blue boots. Many people had told her as of late that she looked radiant, and they couldn't believe how well she had kept her figure after Krys and Elsa were born. She watched the twins as they mercilessly kept the ball away from Vidina again and couldn't help but laugh at their antics. _They must get that from their father and Rikku,_ she thought to herself.  
  
"Wonder if we should tell them lunch is ready?" Tidus asked as he crossed over to her from the picnic table. He wore dark slacks and black sneakers, and a long sleeved denim shirt over a white t-shirt; there was no sense in wearing his Blitz uniform before they got to Bevelle for the inaugural game of the season. It was to be Bevelle's first time participating in the games, to say nothing of their new stadium which had been completed just a few months before. The Bevelle Falcons were rumored to have a few exceptional players despite the fact they were an expansion team, and Tidus was looking forward to facing off against them with the rest of the Aurochs.  
  
"Might as well, we don't want them to be too tired from playing to eat," Yuna replied with a giggle. Tidus nodded and put his fingers to his lips, unleashing a long whistle. The kids immediately stopped tossing the ball and looked up the hill. "Lunchtime!!" Krys and Elsa shouted in unison before scrambling as fast as they could up the slope. The other kids followed suit, and soon four respective families had gathered around the picnic table, eating, joking and reminiscing about the 'good old days'.  
  
Everyone was up to something new since the formal disbanding of the Gullwings; Rikku and Gippal, with the help of the Machine Faction, had begun experimental work towards the exploration of the stars. Of course, their primary interest was developing new machina for everyday use- and of course, taking care of their son Derrik. Paine had finally carried through with her dream to pilot an airship of her own, a sleek steel-gray vessel named 'Excalibur' which was the first of Spira's line of light scouting and transport airships. She and Baralai would often fly together on official Council business or just to get away from it all; the ship had enough cabin space for the two of them and for Maya, and a few special guests. Wakka had packed on a few more pounds over the years, but he was still in decent enough shape to act as a coach for the Junior Blitz league; Vidina had already set his sights on joining the league once he turned 12. Nooj and LeBlanc had eventually married and kept busy much of the time with Council affairs, just as Kimahri remained occupied with the cares and concerns of the Ronso.  
  
As for Yuna, semi-retirement suited her quite well. She and Tidus had decided to stay on Besaid, where they had built a cozy cottage down by the beach. It wasn't too large, but it was far from being cramped- the perfect place to raise the twins. Sphere Hunting had taken a back seat now- though she still loved to get out and adventure once in a while, and had even held an occasional concert for fun or to lift people's spirits. Tidus had kept fairly busy ever since becoming Captain of the Aurochs; under his leadership and motivation, the Aurochs had become one of the most dominant Blitz teams in all of Spira. Yet even with all these distractions, they both made sure that Krys and Elsa- or as she preferred, 'Ellie'- came first. They were alongside them almost everywhere they went, every Blitz game, every concert, even when Yuna was invited by the Council to act as a neutral mediator when certain things came up.  
  
_It really has arrived,_ Yuna thought to herself as she looked across the lush green expanses of the Thunder Plains. _The Eternal Calm is well and truly here; we can finally relax._ She glanced at their son and daughter, who were arguing with Vidina over who the best Blitzer in Spira was; he was certain it was Wakka, while they, of course, insisted their dad was the best. Tidus and Wakka laughed and started poking fun at each other's weak points, playing along and starting a mock-argument that got everybody at the table laughing.  
  
_I wonder what the future will hold for our two angels?_ she wondered to herself, and smiled.  
  
**The End**[Final Author's Notes: I hope you've enjoyed this chronicle as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Right now I'm going to kick back, relax, watch some anime and maybe think of some ideas for future one-shot stories. I probably won't be doing any fanfic writing for at least a few weeks; it's possible I may write a sequel to this story that follows the next generation, but that's a definite maybe. It'd take me quite a while to come up with another plotline after the one I just cranked out.   
I had a few other ideas for Dressphere designs when I decided to incorporate Tidus into the Gullwings, but obviously not all of them showed up in this fanfic. Here then are some of the ideas that didn't make it, and a few whose inspiration sources are now revealed:  
Warrior Dressphere: Well, obviously that's just him in his normal Blitz clothing. No further design necessary.  
Thief: I didn't have the heart to put him in an outfit like Rikku's. Ugh. Closest I could come up with was a black ninja gi- black pants, sleeveless shirt, scarf over the face, pair of silver daggers. It never came up in the storyline.  
Gunner: Inspired by Squall of Final Fantasy 8, but also by the character of El Mariachi from Once Upon A Time In Mexico. I liked the style of the slacks and short jacket, and decided to adapt them.  
Gun Mage: I couldn't come up with anything that wouldn't look like a Yevonite robe, so I discarded this one.  
Black Mage: I envisioned him in a black longcoat covered in purple runes, the token wide-brimmed hat and a spear-like staff, but never really saw him as a magic user. Unused.  
White Mage: Similar to the standard White Mage attire, but with white trousers and a robe that resembled a longcoat rather than the dress the others wore. Didn't see him using it much; unused.  
Alchemist: This one was kinda fun, just a few variants on the standard outfit.  
Samurai: Based this one off of Auron's attire, obviously. Figured it made sense.  
Dark Knight: It was impossible to come up with anything highly original on this one, except maybe silver highlights on a suit of black spiked armor. Envisioned Paine using it more than him; unused.  
Berserker: I didn't like the look of the claw gloves so for Tidus I changed them to claw bracers. There's a bit of Native American in the design, too.  
Songstress: Forget it. Incompatible with male users.   
Lady Luck: Thought about putting him in a sharp gray tuxedo with a red vest for this one, sort of a James Bond design. Decided it wasn't going to come into play; not one of my preferred spheres in the game. Unused.  
Trainer: Couldn't come up with either a design or an animal- although I came close to pairing him with a black panther named Kuroneko. (Black Cat- bad play on Japanese, I know) Eventually gave up.  
Mascot: Gimme a break! All the good critter costumes were taken! Well, I could've dressed him up as the Onion Knight, Lulu's ultimate weapon, but decided not to go there.  
Ultimate Dressphere: In all honesty, I never used the ultimate forms in the game that much, and felt it wouldn't have done much for the story, so I decided not to give him one. If I had, though, it might've been Celestial Templar: a form in which he emerges clad in a full suit of silver armor sporting white angel wings, each of which has offensive or defensive capabilities. It never came up; unused.  
  
Anyway, that's what was left on the cutting room floor. It's been a long, wild ride, and I hope you liked this story. Many, many thanks to my many reviewers. This book is closed, but another one may open before you know it! -Neon Ronin] 


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